


Even the Midnights Are Better

by baeconandeggs, baekyeolangst



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Failed attempt at writing angst, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, a lot of drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-26 05:04:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 45,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14993414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs, https://archiveofourown.org/users/baekyeolangst/pseuds/baekyeolangst
Summary: Baekhyun, the son of the palace’s servants, has been waiting for the moment he discovers his soulmate. He just doesn’t expect his soulmate to be that particular crown prince who despises him ever since they were kids.





	Even the Midnights Are Better

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt #:** BAE280  
>  **Disclaimer: baeconandeggs/the mods is/are not the author/s of this story. Authors will be credited and tagged after reveals.** The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
>  **Author's Note:** Yes, the title of this story came from Air Supply’s Even the Nights Are Better, because I’m not creative enough to come up with a unique title and well. I was listening to that song while I wrote this. Also, hello, my dearest prompter, as I quote from your requirements, you want me to “crush your heart and step on it”. This is me stepping _very gently_ on your angst-filled heart. I tried very hard to make this as angsty as possible, but the more I write, the… fluffier it becomes, but I still hope you will enjoy reading this just as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it! Please be sure to reveal yourself once you’ve read this fic, because I’m really curious to know who you are and why you demand fic authors to crush your heart and step on it mercilessly  >:( On the other note, this was longer than I planned it to be… but I’m satisfied with the outcome, all thanks to the BAE mods! I’d like to take the BAE mods for their relentless patience and kindness. I appreciate all of the mods’ help so much, you guys are so amazing, you deserve all the love in the world. I’m so sorry for causing so many troubles TT_TT And for all the readers, I hope you’ll enjoy this fic! Thank you so much!!!

“It is quite a fine day today.”

 

The queen looks up to the sky and takes a deep breath in. She smiles at the sight of the clouds blending in blue along with the sunlight, then turns to look at the lady sitting with her legs crossed on the floor and head bowed downwards. The older lady presses her thumb on golden silk before she carefully inserts the sharp head of a needle held tight in between her thumb and index into the fabric. The way she sews will always leave the queen in awe – how the rough pads of her fingers smoothen the garments and how she easily loops in thin strings of thread into a small needle.

 

“I suppose so, Your Majesty,” the queen’s tailor replies in a whisper. She doesn’t say another word after, eyes only focusing on sewing. 

 

“I am thankful that you suggested us spending the day in this garden, Lady Yoon. I have not seen the sunlight in a very long time.” The queen says, bending down to pluck the petals of a blooming flower. “After the king remarried, I only stayed in the chambers for so long. So long I forgot the scent of these flowers.” 

 

At the mention of the king, the queen’s tailor pauses. She stares at the queen standing amongst the growing flowers. The king has once again married a princess, this time it is from the North. Although the woman standing with the flowers holds the title as the queen while the rest settle as the concubines, the tailor knows that the queen’s heart still aches to see her soulmate with his newly wedded wife.

 

Lady Yoon stands and makes her way towards the crestfallen queen. She plucks a small flower and gently presses it onto the mark on the queen’s wrist. The crescent shaped mark inked on the woman’s wrist glimmers, peachy pink under the sunlight. It seems to sting a little, as the queen winces softly, staring at the beautiful mark. One’s mark hurts the further one’s soulmate walks away from them. The queen helplessly stares at her mark, sighing.

 

“The king will return to the Kingdom of Spring soon, Your Majesty,” Lady Yoon says. She leaves the flower bud on the queen’s palm and smiles. “The mark has yet to fade, or bleed. It will not hurt anymore once the king returns from his visit to the West.” 

 

“I miss him, that is all…” The queen nods, though bits of her tears fall. “Thank you, Lady Yoon.” 

 

“You are the king’s soulmate, after all, my queen.” the tailor smiles, bright, radiant, positively contagious. “There is no one else who may own the mark on the king’s wrist. There is only you.” 

 

The crescent mark on the queen’s wrist shines a sullen violet. It seems like the king misses her, too.

 

The queen’s tailor makes her way back to sit on the floor and sew, but the sounds of mischievous laughter momentarily stops her from doing so. Less than a moment later, two children come running towards the queen’s flower garden, dirt and grins etched on their faces. The properly-dressed boy runs more swiftly, never stopping until he reaches the back of the queen’s dress with a loud exclamation. “Mother! Mother!”

 

“Oh dear,” the queen sighs. “Chanyeol, did you go to the barn again?” 

 

“Yes, mother…” The boy mumbles apologetically, but then he grins. “But I fed a cow! It was gigantic, almost the twice size of father.” 

 

There comes a quiet chuckle from Lady Yoon, whose arms are wrapped around a smaller boy’s shoulders. Silk and satin long forgotten as she wipes the dirt off the boy’s cheeks. The boy does not show his face, only opts on hiding it in the crook of the tailor’s neck. She pats her son on his back slowly, then pulls away to take a better look at him. “Go on and greet the queen, Baekhyun.” 

 

The boy nods obediently. He wipes his mouth once, then bows to the queen. “Your Majesty.”

 

“Good evening, Baekhyun,” she replies with a fond grin, crouching down in order to give the boy a light pinch on the tip of his nose. “Did you bring Chanyeol to the barn?” 

 

“Yes, Your Majesty, I brought Prince Chanyeol to the barn.” The boy admits, “I am sorry.”

 

“Please do not punish him, mother,” the young prince begs, tugging at her leg. “I forced him to bring me there. I was lonely.” 

 

The queen shakes her head, gently caressing the prince’s chin with her palm. “I will not punish him, he didn’t do anything wrong. Did you have fun at the barn, Baekhyun?”

 

“I did, Your Highness,” The little servant boy – the dearest son of the queen’s tailor and the king’s barber – shows his best toothless grin. 

 

The queen takes a long look at the grinning servant, smiling softly when she sees her own son mimicking little Baekhyun’s grin. She brings the servant boy onto her lap, ignoring the tailor’s shriek when the mud from the little boy’s clothes is splattered onto the queen’s dress. 

 

“Look at you,” she says, voice so sweet and velvety, it makes the small boy sigh as he stares up at his queen in admiration. “My, my…you’ve grown taller, no? I don’t recall you being this tall.” 

 

The child giggles loudly, pleased. “I drank milk, Your Majesty.”

 

“Mother, I’m just as tall,” the crown prince pouts as he tugs onto the queen’s sleeves. “I do not like milk, but I’m tall too.”

 

The two boys continue to crave for the queen’s attention as the queen’s tailor only sits and watches, smiling as she sewed. The queen laughs as the crown prince presses a rough smooch on her cheek, but she does not miss the way the servant boy stares at the glowing crescent on her wrist – violet, glossy and somber. The little boy presses his small palm onto the violet crescent, curious. 

 

“It’s purple,” he says, “What does it mean, Your Majesty?”

 

The mark on her wrist no longer hurts, as the king is on his way back to her, so close and so near she could almost feel his breath on her skin. The violet light still shines and the queen’s heart is heavy, but she knows it is a good sign.

 

“It means the king and I miss each other,” she smiles gently, then sends a knowing look to the royal tailor. “If one day you grow up and become a fine man, then you will understand. Your life will never be colorless. Even in the darkest nights, these marks will guide you.”

 

“Is it painful?” Chanyeol asks, tilting his head. “Does it hurt, mother?”

 

“When us soulmates are apart, it does hurt,” a loud voice arrives, startling the queen and the children. The royal tailor, however, bows gently. 

 

The queen’s eyes immediately water as her hands tremble when she realizes the king has returned to his kingdom. There is no other woman by his side, only him standing with a grin, holding his arms out for his wife to embrace. The crescents on their wrists glint of gold, pulling at the two soulmates until they stand close, staring into each other’s eyes. 

 

“You have returned,” she whispers, palms cradling the king’s cheeks gently. “Oh, look how sunken your cheeks are…”

 

The king chuckles, kissing his wife’s slender fingers. “I missed you greatly.”

 

“I know,” the queen murmurs quietly. “I know.”

 

The servant boy and the crown prince remain sitting on the ground, staring at the king and the queen as they embraced one another. The royal tailor, Lady Yoon has her eyes on something else – a visible torn hole on the crown prince’s trouser, just above his ankle. She simpers softly, covering her mouth. “Baekhyun, come here.”

 

Her son rushes to her side, confused. “Yes, mama?”

 

“Look,” she says quietly, pointing towards the crown prince’s ankle. “His Highness might need a little help with that. Do you still remember what I taught you about sewing?”

 

The servant boy nods, excited as he snatches a brown thread and a needle from his mother, then approaches the prince. At the sight of the needle settled in between the servant boy’s fingers, Chanyeol’s eyes widen as he yells for his mother. 

 

“It’s all right, Chanyeol,” the queen says, still in the king’s embrace. “Let him help you.”

 

Baekhyun smiles as he carefully sews the ripped part of the prince’s trousers. The king and queen quietly laugh when they realize how crooked it seems once the royal tailor’s son finishes sewing, staring at his mother, seeking for praises from the tailor. 

 

“Well done, Baekhyun.” The king says, patting his head. “Perhaps one day you will become the prince’s tailor.”

 

The servant boy beams with pleasure, beyond happy from the king’s thoughtful words. He stares at the pouting crown prince, smiling with adoration clear in his eyes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Even the Midnights Are Better_

 

**_i._ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The night skies appear somber. Starless and quiet, only occupied with the soft murmurs of the royal tailor’s son reciting his mother’s favorite poem into her ears. Baekhyun runs his fingers through his mother’s grey hair, pronouncing each and every word slowly, clear and careful. He lets the queen’s former tailor listen and does not allow her to worry of anything else. After all, she is no longer the one who sews at dawn for Her Majesty and her children. She fell sick soon after her husband passed, and although he was not her soulmate, she had experienced great pain when he left. 

 

Baekhyun stares at his mother quietly as she takes her time to settle down in the comforts of her small bed. He stops reciting the poem once he sees her small eyes drooping, but once the room is filled with silence once again, she holds onto his arm.

 

“It is almost midnight, isn’t it…” she struggles to say. 

 

Baekhyun takes a quick glance at the small clock on the table. “Yes, mama.”

 

She smiles, bringing her hand up to hold onto his face. He feels a shaky hand cradling his chin. 

 

“Your birthday,” his mother whispers. “You will turn eighteen soon, Baekhyun.”

 

It’s rather a grand surprise that his mother could possibly remember. Baekhyun himself has forgotten such simple date – it isn’t important to him. This is how his family and his kingdom raised him. He devotes himself as the royal tailor, staying in his small room to sew, sometimes he sits in the garden with the queen by his side, watching him treating to his threads and needles with gentle care and her majesty would chuckle in amusement. He has no time to wait for such insignificant anniversary, but his mother does. She seems happy to know that she’s made it this far – to witness her son’s eighteenth birthday. 

 

“It is nothing special, mama. No one remembers. They simply do not care,” he shrugs, sliding the book of poems under his mother’s pillow. “We should go to sleep. It’s getting very late.”

 

She does not allow him to pull away. Yanking gently onto his arm, she presses her palm onto his wrist and closes her eyes as the clock strikes twelve. The sharp jab of pain inflicted onto his left wrist feels too sudden. He feels a tight pull beneath his chest, too intense to the point where he has to hold onto the bed stand. He winces and widens his eyes his mother finally releases his arm. He stares at the dark, black mark on his wrist. It shines only the slightest before it turns dark once more. 

 

“It’s my mark,” he says in disbelief. “Mama, my soulmate mark… It’s hideous…”

 

She laughs. It startles him, how vibrant and youthful it sounds. His mother observes his mark for quite a long time with a lovely gaze. “It’s beautiful.”

 

“It’s a needle,” he rolls his eyes. “The king and the queen have crescents. Papa had one with the shape of an orchid. Mine is… a needle.”

 

“I like it,” she teases him. “Don’t you find it pleasing, Baekhyun? You are the royal tailor. It makes sense that your mark is the shape of a needle.” 

 

“But mama, it must mean that my soulmate is a tailor as well!” he exclaims. He tries to refrain himself from being too loud. “And I am the only royal tailor in this castle.”

 

“No. Your papa was a barber and his mark was an orchid,” she smiles as she reminisces her late husband. “I’ve seen his soulmate before. She was a gardener. She was very beautiful.”

 

He looks at his mother’s mark on her wrist. It is barely visible, fading as days go by. She has never once spoke about her soulmate, considering how madly in love she was with his father. But Baekhyun remembers the sad look on her face when his father’s mark shone violet and burgundy. His mother stayed away when the mark turned red. It hurt her to see her husband so pained from being apart from his true soulmate. 

 

“My mark is colorless…” he realizes, slightly horrified. He searches for answers in his mother’s assuring eyes. “Is my soulmate…?”

 

“No,” she shakes her head. “Don’t worry, Baekhyun. Your soulmate is very much alive. It takes time and patience.” 

 

He gazes upon his mark once again, touching it with his fingertips. His heart beats steady as he traces its thin shape. “I suppose I have to live with this for the rest of my life.”

 

Baekhyun leaves the room once his mother is sound asleep. He quietly pads his way to the staircase of the golden palace, making his way to the tower where he usually sews in the evenings. Midnights in the kingdom of spring is never humid – the cold wind softly gusts through his clothes as he gazes at the night sky. 

 

The kingdom of spring is calm and tranquil tonight. From where he is standing, Baekhyun could see the dim lights surrounding the city, just a little bit further from the king’s palace. Though it seems like it is not only him who is wide awake during such a silent night; the royal tailor slightly jumps when he hears stifled giggles down below. He squints his eyes to observe the pair of lovers by the flower garden, arms wrapped around each other. 

 

“Chanyeol…” Baekhyun mumbles, eyes softening when he realizes the crown prince has snuck out of his chamber again. 

 

Baekhyun leans against the wall of the tower, resting his chin on his palm as he silently traces the shape of the crown prince’s shoulders while the prince kisses the girl he is with. It isn’t such a strange occurrence to witness the crown prince in the embrace of young girls under the oak tree by the garden. Somehow, it is the only time where Baekhyun can truly look at the prince and how well he has grown. Despite their wonderful childhood, the crown prince and his tailor no longer spoke to one another once the royal hierarchy was taught. 

 

Chanyeol is the crown prince – the king’s first child, cherished by all, for he is the kingdom of spring’s future ruler. Baekhyun is grateful enough to be named as the royal tailor. Perhaps the prince has forgotten about his friendship with the former servant boy. Slumped with the responsibilities of soon becoming the next king, perhaps Chanyeol did not have the time to reminisce the old times. 

 

The tailor settles on watching the prince from afar, staring at him from the tower as the prince quietly leads the girl back into the palace with a sly smile, avoiding the guards standing by the gates. 

 

“Baekhyun, your eyes look like they will fall off if you stare any longer,” a person utters from behind. Baekhyun swiftly spins around to face the boy who gives him a playful smirk. 

 

“Your Highness, you gave me a fright!” Baekhyun smacks the boy by his arm as the boy continues to laugh. “I could have fallen off the tower!”

 

“Stop exaggerating — ouch! And stop hitting me!” the boy exclaims, protecting himself from the tailor’s punches. “I surrender, I surrender!” 

 

Baekhyun stops, panting a little harshly as he glares at the other prince. He still has a silly grin on his face, holding onto his arm as he feigns a pained look. “Oh, how could you… I came bearing gifts and cakes for my most favorite person, yet he hurts me…”

 

“Quiet,” Baekhyun says, stubborn, but approaches the prince anyhow. He carefully inspects the second prince’s supposedly injured arm, only to be pulled into the boy’s embrace. “Your Highness!”

 

The son of the royal concubine only continues to laugh loudly as he hugs the tailor, resting his head on Baekhyun’s shoulder as he whispers against his neck. “Happy birthday, Baekhyun.”

 

“Thank you, Your Highness,” he gently pats the child-like prince’s back, then wraps his arms around the younger boy’s waist. “You can let me go now, Sehun.”

 

The prince refuses to release him for quite some time before he smacks the prince’s head lightly and pulls away. When he finally pulls back and takes a long look at the second prince – he realizes how taller the boy grew just after two months of not seeing him when he left the kingdom to train along the king’s knights. Sehun was quite fond of swords and fights, always injuring himself after stealing one of the knight’s swords for him to play. 

 

The royal concubine would tend to frown at this matter, but the king, always with a wide smile, would encourage the boy to fight once more. After a spending two years of training, the second prince have returned; age fifteen now, with sharper features and thin hands, but he still has the same glow in his eyes when he looks at the tailor. Baekhyun holds onto the boy’s arms, happy and glad to see him again. 

 

“You’re eighteen!” the second prince suddenly realizes, eyes widening. “D-Did you…?”

 

Referring to the mark, the prince wastes no time as he grabs Baekhyun’s wrists and pushes at the sleeves. Baekhyun allows him to do so, showing the fresh mark inked on his left wrist. His face reddens a bit, ashamed at the simple mark but the second prince only continues to stare with his mouth wide opened. 

 

“It is hideous, I know…” he mutters, covering the mark with his sleeves once he thinks the prince has been staring for too long. “Truthfully, I do not like it.”

 

“It is gorgeous, Baekhyun.” Sehun replies, brows furrowed, staring down at the tailor in disagreement. “Let me look at it again.”

 

The tailor frowns, shaking his head. The prince doesn’t budge, only insists on seeing the mark again. “Come on now, Baekhyun, let me see.”

 

“Your Highness…” he sighs in defeat, holding out his arm for the prince to take. “It’s just a needle.”

 

“A pretty one, it resembles your most favorite one, Baekhyun.” The prince grins, pressing the pad of his thumb on the mark. With his other hand, he coaxes Baekhyun’s hair gently behind his ear and holds him by his chin. “The needle you had since we were little. Do you remember?” 

 

It was the dull silver needle that his mother had given him when the crown prince’s trousers were slightly ripped at his ankle. Baekhyun treasured that particular needle – and as pitiful it sounded, he wept and mourned when the needle slipped out of his fingers when he was younger, falling into a bush full of roses with thorns sharper than his dearest needle. It was childish of him to cherish something so unimportant. 

 

“All needles look the same,” he huffs, looking elsewhere when Sehun searches for answers deep in his eyes. Afraid that the prince would see through him if his eyes land on his questioning gaze. “You are being ridiculous, Sehun.”

 

“I am your prince.” The boy suddenly says, with a look that Baekhyun does not quite comprehend. 

 

“Of course.” He quickly nods, perplexed with the prince’s sudden change of tone. “I apologize, Your Highness.”

 

The second prince sighs, still caressing Baekhyun’s mark with his thumb. Baekhyun senses the shift of sudden frustration in the atmosphere, so he tries to excuse himself. It is past midnight, after all. But the prince’s strong grip tells him that he should not let go – not when the prince is clearly deep in his thoughts as he gazes at Baekhyun’s soulmate mark. 

 

“Just three more years, yes?” Sehun asks and finally releases his wrist. “I will turn eighteen soon… and I will have the same mark carved onto my wrist. Just you see.”

 

“Mind if I remind you that you are a prince, Your Highness. The possibility of you being my soulmate is very unlikely.” Baekhyun simply laughs, reaching up to disarrange the prince’s hair. “Silly boy.”

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

Just a few hours after dawn, Baekhyun wakes up without his mother sleeping by his side. Usually, he would spend his mornings with his mother and the queen in the flower garden, brushing his mother’s hair as she talks to the queen. He walks towards the balcony where he sees the gardeners are off to pluck bright, ripe strawberries at the farm, and he sees the queen walking with Baekhyun’s mother next to her, hands full of fruit. He feels slightly guilty for waking up so late after spending the night with the second prince who refused to let him go to sleep, but as he watches his mother slowly walking with the guidance of the queen’s maids, Baekhyun grins. 

 

He tries to walk by as quietly as he can when he sees the queen and her sons settling into their chairs by the dining table to have breakfast along with the former royal tailor, but he accidentally meets the second prince’s eyes. Trying to blend in with the servants rushing here and there, preparing the grand breakfast, Baekhyun curses in his head as he makes his way to the kitchen, avoiding the boy’s gaze until inevitably, Baekhyun knows he has to stop walking the moment Sehun yells out for him.

 

“Baekhyun! Baekhyun, come and have breakfast with us!” The second prince waves his arms, almost knocking off his glass of orange juice with his elbow. 

 

Reminding himself to smack the prince’s head later on, Baekhyun reluctantly spins around, waving back. “Good morning, Your Highness.”

 

“Come here, sit next to me,” the prince coaxes, patting the empty seat beside him to prove a point. 

 

Baekhyun takes a glance at the crown prince who pays no heed to his younger brother’s antics, only sips his cup of tea quietly as stares at his plate full of bread. The king, sitting by the end of the table, puts down his newspaper before he greets Baekhyun with a smile.

 

“There you are, lad!” The king’s voice booms throughout the whole dining hall, startling the newly hired servant who tries to pour more tea into the prince’s cup with shaky hands. “Sehun told me that it is your birthday today. Come and join us for breakfast!”

 

Baekhyun bows at the sight of the king, before he shakes his head, politely rejecting the king’s offer. “I would love to, Your Majesty, but I do not wish to interfere with such a wonderful family time.”

 

“Nonsense! You are family to us, too!” The king insists, waving his rolled-up newspaper around. “Tell the servants to bring another plate to the table. It is your birthday after all, we definitely should celebrate!” 

 

“If the boy does not want to have breakfast, then let him be, father,” the crown prince finally speaks. Fingers still gripping on his cup of tea, blowing air into it as he lays his eyes on Baekhyun. “There’s no need to make such a fuss over a servant boy. We shall not teach these servants to get so comfortable with their surroundings. It’s not like they belong on this table, anyhow.”

 

“Baekhyun is not a servant,” the queen interrupts with a frown. “He’s the royal tailor, Chanyeol.”

 

The crown prince chuckles. “His title as the royal tailor doesn’t change the fact that he is still below us.” 

 

“Yes, I agree with the crown prince. Perhaps next time then, Your Majesty.” Baekhyun says, bowing to the quarreling royal family. When he straightens his back, he sees the crown prince looking at him intently. 

 

Baekhyun gives the prince a smile before he waves at Sehun, who seems too disappointed by now, before he excuses himself. Baekhyun ignores Sehun’s bickering with his older brother as he makes his way into the kitchen, stealing a green apple from the basket.  

 

He bites into the sweet but sour delight as he returns to the balcony. The gardeners are no longer there, and Baekhyun is occupied with the sound of the morning wind blowing through cherry blossom trees. He goes deep into his thoughts, picturing the crown prince’s gaze when he degraded Baekhyun in front of the king and the queen. 

 

Baekhyun isn’t affected by his words, not at all. He grew up observing the prince and that’s just the way he is. Reserved and cold, but loving and kind when he’s with the right person. Come to think of it, it’s been a while since Baekhyun has seen the prince’s genuine smile…

 

There’s a gentle knock against the French doors and a feigned cough greeting him. In the corner of his eyes, he sees a young servant walking towards him with a graceful bow. Baekhyun immediately smiles upon seeing her, his sullen mood is instantly lifted, especially when he sees her carelessly trying to hide her shy grin behind her palm. 

 

“Sir Kim has arrived,” she says, timid and quiet, with her eyes glued on the marbled floors. “He is waiting by his carriage.” 

 

“His carriage…? I see,” he nods, “I must say, it is a little bit too early for him to send new rolls of fabrics. He was here just last week. Have we run out of silk?”

 

“N-No, sir… I suppose he came to wish you a happy birthday.”

 

Baekhyun lets out a surprised chuckle. “I doubt he remembers.”

 

“He always does,” she mumbles under her breath. 

 

Knowing her for a few years now, Baekhyun becomes used to the fact that Yerim takes quite a long time to appear comfortable in his presence. It bothers him how she refuses to look at him sometimes, though she tends to glance at him when she thinks he does not notice. 

 

He tries his best not to seem intimidating because although Baekhyun is the royal tailor and she is merely a girl who scrubs the kitchen floors, it doesn’t change the fact that they used to be friends, back when he, as a child, was scrubbing kitchen floors, too. Baekhyun uses his thumb to wipe off the dirt smudged on her cheek as he thanks her, giving her a smile when she finally looks at him in a startled manner. 

 

“Come on now, Yerim.” He looks back when he realizes that the young girl isn’t following him, still standing whilst holding her cheek. “Sir Kim is not going to wait forever. He’s a very impatient man.”

 

She jumps, nodding and runs towards the stairs. “Y-yes sir!” 

 

As he laughs, approaching the long curtains, the mark on his wrist pulses; colorless and dim, but he felt it. His smile falters as he stops walking, holding onto his arm. 

 

It was there.

 

Even for a split second, it was there – something so foreign, but comfortable and familiar. It is almost as if… he can feel his soulmate’s presence, so close, so warm, but so out of reach. Baekhyun feels the pulsing again. It feels like a single throb of a vein this time, and surprisingly, it makes him laugh. 

 

“Is it…” he whispers to himself as he stares at the remaining smudge of dirt on his fingers. “Is it her?”

 

He hears Sir Kim calling out for him when the man finally sees him, frantically waving his arms to capture his attention, but Baekhyun stands frozen, trying to get a glimpse of Yerim’s wrist. It could be her – it must be her. It would make more sense if it _is_ her. He can almost imagine it. How easy things will be if this girl is his soulmate. He felt something in her presence, although mere and subtle, he wants to know if she felt it too. There’s a possibility that the servant has a similar mark inked onto her left wrist as well. 

 

He runs after her, snatching her arm with an iron grip as he pulls her back. Yerim spins around with a gasp, holding onto his shoulders when she almost slips down the flight of stairs. She does not dare to say a word as he stares at her in frustration. Standing so close like this, with his hand around her wrist, yet the mark on his wrist no longer pulses. It doesn’t throb like his steady heartbeat, and this further confuses him.

 

“Is it not you?” he asks, “But... I felt it.”

 

“Baekhyun!” Sir Kim yells from afar, stomping his feet as he points his cane towards the tailor. “I am a very busy man! Hurry up now, boy!” 

 

Upon hearing the old man’s grunt, Baekhyun finally lets the girl go with much hesitance. He dashes over to Sir Kim, completely missing the sight of the crown prince lurking behind the curtain, a frown on his face as he curiously spies on the tailor and the servant’s odd interaction. 

 

Once the royal tailor is out of sight, the prince finally walks out from hiding, startling the servant. She staggers upon seeing the crown prince, blubbering excuses and apologies out of her mouth before he raises his hand with a stern look.

 

“Get back to work.”

 

Yerim quickly nods, glancing at the prince for a while before she runs away.

 

As the servant walks away, the crown prince leans against the wall, palm pressed on his frantically beating heart.

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

The tailor grins sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head when he sees Sir Kim’s unamused reaction. The old man grabs his cane and lightly smacks the boy’s hip, earning a pained cry and a fit of laughter afterwards. Baekhyun continues to ask for mercy, apologizing to the old man in a playful manner, crouching while protecting his hip with his hands until the man finally stops, and allows Baekhyun to pull him into a gentle hug.

 

“I’ve missed you, old man.” Baekhyun says, patting him on his back. 

 

Sir Kim has always been a father figure to him. After his father passed away, Baekhyun only could depend on Sir Kim and the man was more than happy to accept him with open arms. _He might be a little cranky at times,_ Baekhyun thinks with a smile as he sees the man blabbering on and on, swinging his wooden cane here and there, scolding Baekhyun for wasting his time.  

 

“What is so fascinating about a mere servant’s face that took you so long to notice me, hmm?” the elderly man teases, nudging Baekhyun with his elbow. “For a moment there, I thought I was invisible.”

 

“I simply told her to run a few errands, dad,” he smoothly lies, gazing away from the older man. 

 

“You can fool anyone else, but not me, young man.” Sir Kim gives him a judgmental stare before his chapped lips wrinkle into a small smile. “Happy birthday, son.” 

 

“Thank you,” Baekhyun gently returns a genuine smile. “It is just any other normal day for me. Nothing too special.”

 

“Well, it is special, now that you’ve turned eighteen.” The man tilts his head gently on one side. “You’ve got a mark now. That is something special, no?”

 

Baekhyun pulls on his sleeves to reveal the black ink engraved on his wrist, dark and dull, before he covers it again, ashamed. 

 

“It’s a needle. I don’t like it. I was expecting a flower, or… or a star. I like stars.” He tries to make a reasonable complaint. It comes out as an ungrateful whine.  

 

“Your mark describes you. It is who you are,” Sir Kim pats him on his cheek. “Don’t worry, boy. You will eventually fall in love with it once you discover its capability and how powerful it really is. Our soulmate marks truly affect our lives… sometimes drastically.”  

 

“Good, now you’re just terrifying me,” he rolls his eyes. “I know you aren’t just here to wish me a happy birthday, especially when you’re wearing such a decent outfit, old man. Is that tweed?”

 

“He came with a fucking carriage, too. I was too embarrassed to be riding a horse, so I just drove here, like a normal person would.” A sarcastic laugh interrupts their conversation. Baekhyun spins around to see his old friend walking towards them with his arms wide open, as if he already knew Baekhyun will run into his embrace once their eyes meet. 

 

“Language!” Sir Kim yells. 

 

“Junmyeon!” Baekhyun exclaims, almost toppling over when he dashes towards the man in the white suit, hugging him. “I can’t believe it’s you!”

 

“It’s been so long, little brother.” Sir Kim’s son, Junmyeon, smiles. “You’ve grown so well, almost growing taller than me. That’s upsetting.”

 

“You’re not _that_ tall to begin with,” Baekhyun playfully whispers to the man, glancing at Sir Kim as he purposely teases him. “We know who to blame for that.”

 

Junmyeon laughs loudly, patting the tailor on his head as he looks at him affectionately. “I’ve missed you so much. Dad and I rarely laugh when you’re not around. Our lives were dull.”

 

Baekhyun’s smile falters for a while as his hand grips onto the man’s arm. After Sir Kim’s wife passed away, Junmyeon rarely got out of the house. He only focused on his job and taking over his father’s company. Baekhyun can still see the pain dwelling in the man’s eyes, even when he flashes the sweetest smile. 

 

“I’m just glad my big brother is back. You look healthier, too.” Baekhyun pinches the man’s cheek. “Where’s my birthday present?”

 

Junmyeon pauses, looking a little panicked. “What birthday present?”

 

“Seriously?” Baekhyun pinches the man’s cheek a little harsher. “Judging from your fancy car over here, I thought you would’ve brought a fancier gift for me… But you just forgot, huh?”

 

“We’d never forget,” Sir Kim says. “Just wait and see.” 

 

“I want a car.” Baekhyun deadpans. 

 

Junmyeon pushes his head before he makes his way towards the palace’s entrance. “Don’t push it, kid.”

 

Baekhyun chuckles, running to the man’s side again. “You still haven’t told me why you guys are here and why dad came with a horse-drawn carriage.”

 

“He’s here to see the king, of course,” Junmyeon replies, waving towards the king’s guards standing by the door. “That’s why he’s wearing tweed. You know how the king likes old-fashioned stuff.”

 

“Tell me about it,” Baekhyun mutters quietly. “Feels like I’m living in the 60’s whenever I step into this palace.” 

 

“Yeah, because it’s _so_ hard living in a palace with a king who adores you,” Junmyeon says, purposely walking even faster when he sees the king walking down the stairs, leaving Baekhyun behind. 

 

Baekhyun pouts, glaring at the man. “When did he get so sarcastic?”

 

“I suppose he got that part from me, too,” Sir Kim chuckles lightly. “Come on, boy. I can’t keep His Majesty entertained without you by my side.”

 

Baekhyun sighs dejectedly, knowing that he would have no option but to accompany Sir Kim and Junmyeon in their little meeting with the king and the queen. As he walks ahead, he sees the crown prince standing by the king’s side, with his usual deep frown on his face. 

 

It’s quite odd to see the prince so often in the span of a few hours. Known to be slightly rebellious, the prince would’ve never participate in the king’s meetings, especially when it comes to upcoming events, unless the king himself forces the prince to do so. Too deep in his thoughts, the royal tailor doesn’t notice that Junmyeon and Sir Kim have already entered the meeting room, leaving him outside, staring at the crown prince.

 

“Servants are not allowed to enter.” The prince says, relentless gaze boring into his eyes.

 

“I wasn’t planning to enter,” Baekhyun bites back, glancing around to see if any of the bodyguards heard him. 

 

Chanyeol’s eyebrows furrow as he crosses his arms, slowly getting closer to him. “Then leave.” 

 

“That is what I’m about to do.” Baekhyun raises his head high, glaring back at the prince. 

 

The prince is about to speak when one of the king’s bodyguards peek his head out of the door, startled when he sees the crown prince and the royal tailor glaring at each other. 

 

“Uh…” The guard pauses. “The king wishes to see both the crown prince and the royal tailor.”

 

Chanyeol slowly turns to look at the tailor again, this time with a sharper glare. 

 

“This isn’t over yet.”

 

Baekhyun swears that he felt a jab of fear jolting down his spine as he watches the prince walk into the meeting room with a scowl, shoving the bodyguard away while he’s at it. The guard winces slightly before he tries to pull Baekhyun into the room as well just when Baekhyun wants to escape. 

 

“Baekhyun, please.” The guard whines with pleading eyes. “I don’t want the king to have my head on his plate tonight.”

 

“Stop exaggerating, Jongin,” Baekhyun scoffs, pushing the guard away before he slams the door on the man’s face. 

 

When he turns around, his eyes meet the prince’s sharp ones once again, and Baekhyun takes in a deep breath before putting on the sweetest smile when he faces the king. 

 

“Father, if I may,” the prince starts to speak, still staring at Baekhyun who stands frozen by the door. “I do not understand why you insist on inviting this… imbecile to our confidential discussion.” 

 

The king grunts, glaring at his own son. “Chanyeol, I will pretend that you did not say that. Baekhyun, come and take a seat.”

 

Baekhyun tries to hide his grin behind his palm before he coughs, secretly sticking his tongue out to the prince before he takes a seat beside the king. 

 

“He just stuck his tongue out to me!” Chanyeol shouts, pointing towards the royal tailor in disbelief. 

 

“I was simply coughing, Your Highness,” Baekhyun replies quietly. “I apologize if it bothered you.” 

 

“It’s okay, Baekhyun.” The king assures gently, patting him on his shoulder. “Chanyeol, stop it this instant. You are almost turning eighteen, you should act like a grown man. A true prince.”

 

Chanyeol’s mouth hangs open as he looks at the king. “But I did not—”

 

“No, Your Majesty, I can absolutely leave,” Baekhyun feigns sickness, pressing his hand to his forehead as he tries to escape. “Please, do begin the discussion without me.” 

 

“I’m afraid this particular discussion requires the royal tailor to be present at all times for the upcoming event,” Junmyeon suddenly says, flipping through pages and pages of black files. He doesn’t spare a glance to Baekhyun as he continues, “After all, it _is_ the most important event of the year for the Kingdom of Spring.” 

 

“The crown prince’s coming of age ceremony,” Sir Kim continues, showing Baekhyun an encouraging smile. “We have a few months to prepare for it. Baekhyun will manage to get the clothes ready before the ceremony. We have all seen him work before.” 

 

Baekhyun’s eyes widen as he glances at the prince who seems equally surprised at the older man’s words. The prince rises out of his seat, face reddening with shame as he slams his hand onto the table. 

 

“This is ridiculous!” Chanyeol yells. “Father, I do not want to tolerate this. This… This servant can’t be the one who manages my clothes. I would look like a mad man!”

 

Baekhyun’s hands tremble in anger, listening to the words being carelessly thrown at him, but he knows that this is just one of the prince’s many tantrums. The ones someone has when they are too privileged to realize the worthiness of the things they truly own. 

 

He’s pulled out of his trance too soon when he hears the king laughing quietly, resting his arms on the table. The king pulls a single golden thread out of the inner part of his sleeves, twisting it in between his fingers before he snaps a long length of the thin thread out. 

 

“This,” the king says, staring at the thread as he holds it up for the prince to see. “This single thread is worth thousands. Every single inch of fabric covering my skin… worth millions. Those high-end clothing brands that I tend to see you wear, and that… horrible suit you are wearing right now… Their prices are equivalent to this little part on the hem of my sleeves.” 

 

Baekhyun swallows the lump in his throat, shivering when he hears the king’s cold tone.

 

“This boy,” the king points to the royal tailor while he stares at the silent prince. He tugs onto his sleeves. “He made these.”

 

Chanyeol remains quiet. 

 

“His gifted fingers are worth more than four dozen of all of those high-end clothes combined.” The king says. “And yet you fret about looking like a mad man under his care.”

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

He doesn’t dare look anywhere else except his measuring tape and the marbled floor. Baekhyun masks his nervousness behind a professional façade as he measures the crown prince’s broad shoulders. From his peripheral vision, he sees the prince staring at him silently as he jots down the measurements on his notepad. Baekhyun clears his throat, distracting himself with numbers before he realizes that he has yet to measure the prince’s hips. 

 

Judging from the look in the crown prince’s eyes, Baekhyun knows that Chanyeol is beyond irked with his presence, especially here in his own chamber. 

 

He tries to make it quick by hastily wrapping the tape around the prince’s waist, knocking his head against the prince’s chin in the process. Chanyeol curses out loud, pushing the tailor away out of reflex and holds onto his chin, grunting.

 

“Your Highness! I’m so sorry!” He apologizes, rubbing his own head as he winces. “I was just… about to take the measurements of your hips, I didn’t realize—sorry.”

 

Chanyeol glares at him once more, clenching his jaw. “This must be a joke to you, mustn’t it?” 

 

He shakes his head, measuring tape tangled in between his fingers as he waves his hands. “No, absolutely not, my prince.”

 

The prince stares at him in silence, still breathing heavily out of impatience and anger. He then steps forward, closer to the tailor, cocking his head to his left as he smirks. 

 

“I remember you, you know,” the prince chuckles darkly. “Little Baekhyunnie playing at the garden with the young crown prince. Adored by everyone, especially the king.” 

 

Baekhyun flinches, taking a step back. He doesn’t expect the prince to remember him, and even if he does, he figured that the prince would’ve treated him nicer since they were supposed to be… friends. But there are no traces of a smile in his thin lips, only a look that Baekhyun can’t quiet comprehend. 

 

“I want to remind you that you are nothing but a mere servant in our eyes. I did not understand why my father insists on being so kind to you, but now I think I do.” Chanyeol laughs, placing his hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder. “It’s because you’re pitiful. He feels sorry for you. You and your pathetic mother have no other place to stay if the king ever throws you away. That’s just sad, isn’t it?”

 

Baekhyun feels the air getting knocked out of his chest as his knees buckle. He only watches as the prince laughs lightly, throwing his head back as his laughter becomes louder. 

 

“You should be thankful that the kingdom is still under my father’s care,” Chanyeol smirks. “Because once I get the throne, I will make sure that you and your mother will never see this palace ever again.”

 

Baekhyun frowns. “That’s not a very nice thing to say.”

 

The prince blinks, startled. “Excuse me?”

 

 “I’d like to think that I’ve earned the title as the royal tailor. I _was_ a servant, yes, but now…” Baekhyun returns a similar smirk, tilting his head up to get a closer look of the prince. “Like the king said, my fingers are worth thousands, so even if you were to throw my mother and I out of this palace, I think we will be just fine.”

 

“You…” 

 

“I’m not intimidated by you, my prince.” The tailor smiles as he grabs his notepad and measuring tape, making his way to the door. “We used to be friends, remember?” 

 

He slams the door on his way out, panicking deep inside. He leans against the closed door, slapping his face as he panics. His heart threatens to jump out of his chest no matter how many times he tries to calm himself. Baekhyun mutters a curse under his breath, biting his lips. He spoke so impolitely to the crown prince, and judging from the look on the prince’s face, Baekhyun is sure that his actions are not going to be forgiven anytime soon, especially if the crown prince ends up complaining about his behavior to the king.

 

“I’m going to die.” Baekhyun whispers, doomed. He runs towards end of the hall before anyone can see him having a mental breakdown outside of Chanyeol’s bedroom, smacking his own head as he scolds himself. “This is it. I am going to die. The crown prince hates me and he’s going to get me killed. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god.”

 

How could he be so stupid, carelessly throwing around disrespectful words like that to a _prince_? The crown prince is always known for his close relationship with the king, so despite it all, in the end, of course the king will choose to defend the prince if said prince ever confesses about his argument with Baekhyun during his clothes-fitting session. 

 

Baekhyun does not mind if the king is ever upset with him, but the victim of it all will be his mother. Of course, his mother will be the one on the receiving end of the sword, and Baekhyun simply took the risk of his mother possibly being kicked out of the palace just because he was offended by the prince’s hurtful words. 

 

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Baekhyun chants, hitting his own forehead again and again. “Mind your words, Byun Baekhyun. You might as well just sew both your lips together.” 

 

Once he reaches his room, he sighs when he sees his mother taking a nap on the small bed. He hasn’t talked to her all day because of the strange occurrences that happened earlier today. He feels guilt tugging onto his gut as he takes a seat on the bed beside her, running his fingers through her thin hair. Baekhyun sighs as thousands of consequences and possibilities run inside his head, none of which are decent.

 

He’s going to have to apologize to the crown prince tomorrow morning despite his pride. Despite what he proudly retorted to the prince, Baekhyun knows that he can’t afford being thrown out of the palace. Not for now.

 

He sighs in warm delight when his head hits the soft pillow. He’s exhausted from running around in the palace. Somehow, it feels like being a child again, bickering with the crown prince every minute of the day. Except now, the prince actually despises him, unlike how he used to be in the past. 

 

As his eyelids flutter close for a quick nap, Baekhyun sees the prince’s smile imprinted in his mind. A smile that he rarely sees and will probably never get to see up close, with deep dimples on rosy cheeks. 

 

Underneath it all, Baekhyun knows that he will always adore the young prince, no matter if it’s his cheerful childhood friend or the frowning crown prince, the future heir of the king’s throne. 

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

He’s awakened again by midnight, startled by the sound of tree branches rattling against the windowpane. Baekhyun sits up on the bed, glancing at his mother who is still sound asleep beside him. He stretches his arms out as he makes his way to the door, gently walking out of the room, careful not to wake the older woman up. The guards standing outside of his room nods in acknowledgement when they see him, as if they were already expecting him to sneak out of his room in the middle of the night just to visit the tower again.

 

Sometimes Baekhyun considers dragging his pillow along when he walks up to the tower. It’s windier up there, with a breathtaking view of the city and if he’s lucky enough, he gets to see the crown prince and his sly smile as he leads yet another young lady into the small chapel by the flower garden. Standing on the top floor of that tower gives him tranquility that his room could not provide. He is free of stressful thoughts when he’s there, just leaning against the railing, staring at the glinting stars. 

 

But tonight, it seems like the thoughts in his head gets louder and louder until Baekhyun isn’t able to think all together. He knows he should be working on the crown prince’s suit for his coming of age ceremony due just a few months from now – he still doesn’t know what kind of fabric he wants to use, still hasn’t told his staffs and helpers what to do in order to prepare for the ceremony. 

 

Usually, when he’s alone at the tower, it seems like he has all the time that he could ever need. Free from all burden and workload. He finds himself thinking of the things that shouldn’t have even bothered him, but inevitably, they do, because he just wants to know why.

 

Why did his heart beat so fast when he was with Yerim earlier that morning? His mark pulsated against his vein and as terrifying as it sounds, Baekhyun craves to experience it once again. To feel the mark beating in synchronization with his heart, to feel his pulse quickening up like he has never felt so alive before. To feel his soulmate’s presence, near to him. Warm and secure, it doesn’t matter who it will be. 

 

The needle-shaped mark inked on his wrist still remains black, but it’s alive. Baekhyun can feel it against the thin layer of his skin. And if he’s _this_ content just to feel his soulmate mark coming alive, he doesn’t know how he will react if his mark ever colors. The thought of him actually having a soulmate, someone by his side, whether if it’s platonically or romantically, it feels surreal. He has heard of his mother and the queen talking about it, the feeling of having a soulmate and how beautiful it truly is. 

 

Baekhyun, despite being young, wanted to experience it too. He counted the days to finally turn eighteen and see the mark etched on his wrist. Now, even with the mark already on his skin, he still feels empty, having to start counting the days for his soulmate to appear. He just hopes it’s someone he already knows. Perhaps any of the guards, or even Yerim…

 

He is loss of his train of thoughts when he hears a fit of feminine laughter coming from behind. Baekhyun flinches when he sees a pair of lovers, perhaps the palace guard and the maid, walking towards him, but they are yet to notice him, for their lips are still attached to each other. They giggle against each other’s mouths, holding one another in their arms. When they pull away, Baekhyun makes his presence known when he coughs softly, staring at the floor, embarrassed. 

 

“The tower is kind of occupied,” he scratches the back of his head, with his gaze still planted on the floor, even when he hears the girl shrieking when she notices him. “There’s uh… an empty room near the general study room, if you want to… you know. I won’t tell the king or anything.”

 

“Yes, the tower is occupied.” 

 

Baekhyun raises his head to see the crown prince scowling in his way, arms still wrapped around the girl beside him. 

 

Chanyeol rolls his eyes. “And I expect you to leave.”

 

Baekhyun’s mouth gapes as he stares at the prince and the familiar girl staring back at him. Their faces are burning red, he can’t determine if it’s from embarrassment or arousal, but then again, he doesn’t really want to know. 

 

“I was here first.” He blurts out, almost cursing out loud when he realizes that he’s starting to argue with the prince again, all in the span of hours and hours. “I don’t want to leave, this is my usual spot.”

 

The blushing girl jabs her elbow to the prince’s side, mumbling. “Chanyeol, the boy is right. Let’s go somewhere else.” 

 

“No,” the prince says. “I want him to leave.” 

 

Baekhyun ignores the prince, opting on taking a closer look at the girl he is with. He keeps mum as he stares at her glassy hazel eyes and confused frown; he’s seen her somewhere. The girl with autumn brown hair, fooling around with the stupid crown prince in the flower garden. The girl who he sees at certain ceremonies and events that took place in the palace a few years before. 

 

Something clicks in his head when he realizes who she is. Baekhyun smiles gently, giving her a small wave. “Hello, princess.”

 

She gasps lightly, covering her face with her hands. “You know who I am?”

 

“I have seen you here and there, Your Highness. The heiress of the Kingdom of Fall.” Baekhyun grins. “Don’t be scared. I won’t tell anyone that you’re here.”

 

“The servant is right for once, Joohyun. Don’t be scared of him.” Chanyeol interrupts them with an arrogant huff. “He’s just the floor-scrubber.” 

 

“With fingers that are worth more than your entire massive closet, yes,” Baekhyun playfully grins, fingers twinkling in the air. 

 

He sees the princess peeking through the gaps of her fingers, shy, before she slowly reveals her face again. Her hands fall to her sides, and Baekhyun catches the way Chanyeol is swift to hold her hand in his once again. He approaches the princess and takes her other hand, pressing a gentle kiss on her knuckles before he flashes her a toothy grin. 

 

“It’s nice to finally see you so up close and personal like this, it’s truly an honor.” He says, glancing at the prince whose face distorts with rage. “My name is Byun Baekhyun, the royal tailor.”

 

Recognition lights up in her eyes before she shakes his hands, excitement evident in her bright smile. “Ah, it’s you! You must be the son of Lady Yoon! I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you.”

 

Baekhyun blinks, slightly surprised that a well-known princess actually acknowledges his existence. “Really?”

 

“That’s enough,” Chanyeol pulls the princess closer to him, as if shielding her away from him. “Servant boy, I expect you to leave this instant. The king would certainly not be pleased if he finds out that you have been lurking around in the palace. Who knows if you’ve actually stolen something while everyone else was asleep?”

 

Baekhyun swears that he can almost see the prince’s nose flaring when he’s yelling so furiously like that. It’s not a decent sight to look at, and it irks him listening to the prince while he degrades him _again_ , this time right in front of a confused princess.

 

“I suppose the king wouldn’t be pleased if he finds out that the crown prince has been _canoodling_ with girls in the middle of the night either, would he…?” He challenges. 

 

His conscience has been urging him to apologize to the prince, but each time Baekhyun faces the boy, guilt and common sense fly out the window. Just because this boy is a prince, it doesn’t mean that Baekhyun would have to obey every single thing he orders him to do. Especially when his demands come with sharp insults. 

 

Chanyeol clenches his fists as he narrows his eyes. “Are you threatening me?”

 

“I am simply stating the truth.” Baekhyun huffs. “I was here first, so I won’t leave just because you told me to. Besides, the queen knows that this is my favorite spot in the palace. Even if you told the king, I don’t think he would mind. I’m not harming anybody.”

 

“Fine. I don’t have to sit here and waste my time dealing with you, do I?” Chanyeol stomps his foot, dragging the yelping princess with him. He stops for a moment to think before he spins around and marches towards the puzzled tailor. “If you say a word about this to anyone, _especially_ the king, I will shove you out of this palace in a blink of an eye. Is that clear?”

 

“Crystal clear, Your Highness.” Baekhyun winks, specifically to the princess beside him as he waves. “Very glad that we had this talk! I’ll see you again soon, princess!” 

 

“Stop talking to my girlfriend!” Chanyeol tries to yell in a soft voice, trying to not attract attention. It makes Baekhyun laugh to know that he is the cause of the prince’s constant panicking. 

 

As the prince storms away, making a turn to his left with the princess by his side, Baekhyun takes a glimpse at the princess’ wrist, where a diamond-shaped mark shines an emerald green, so vibrant and obvious. His grin falters for a moment as he realizes that the princess has a soulmate mark, so beautiful that he envies it for a short moment. The mark proves that she is older than the crown prince, perhaps just by a few months, or a year. He doesn’t exactly know what the color that shone on her wrist meant, but he has a feeling in his gut telling him that she could possibly be the prince’s soulmate. 

 

Perhaps that’s why they seem so perfect together. Baekhyun has heard a lot about the Kingdom of Fall and how beautiful the kingdom is, especially when sunset arrives. He’s heard about the kingdom’s intelligent, brave, one and only princess, listened to the guards’ coos and gushing praises when they see her on the news, like that one time when she donated to an entire orphanage; or when she was seen volunteering at a home for the elderly. He’s heard plenty about her. He just doesn’t think that the crown prince actually deserves her. 

 

 _Not with that kind of attitude,_ he thinks bitterly. _She deserves better._

 

Once he is completely sure that the prince and his lover are far out of sight, Baekhyun sighs, unable to stay at that tower any longer. He came to be free of his thoughts, but he ended up dwelling on insignificant matters, especially regarding to the crown prince. He doesn’t know why his presence bothers the prince so much, and truthfully, he’s quite offended by it. The king and the queen adore him, even the royal concubine does, too, so why does Chanyeol hate him so much? 

 

He would have been less confused if the second prince is the one who dislikes him, but that’s not the case. Sehun is beyond attached to him to the extent where Baekhyun would sometimes have to purposely avoid the younger prince, especially when he won’t stop smothering him. But Baekhyun and Chanyeol grew up together, and according to the prince said before, he remembers being friends with him, so why does Baekhyun’s entire existence irk him? 

 

Baekhyun isn’t hurt by this. He’s more baffled than upset. Considering their friendship during their childhood, the prince and him should have gotten even closer as they grow up, but they fell apart, and Baekhyun can’t come up with reasons as to why they no longer address each other as friends usually would. 

 

He returns to his room where he finds his mother sitting on a small wooden stool, humming to an old song as she lights up a scented candle on the bedside table. He stops by the door, surprised to see her so wide awake especially at a time like this. It was almost two in the morning by the time he left the tower. These days, he rarely sees his mother staying up at night like she used to when he was younger, always in a great mood when dusk came, it meant that she had all the time in the world to herself; to sit in front of her favorite sewing machine, fingertips pressing against fabric. 

 

She seems more and more exhausted as days go by. His mother doesn’t talk about it, but he knows that her knees have been in pain for a while and she’s not too strong to walk by herself, always needing a companion to lead her way. Now, seeing her padding slowly from the corner of the small room to the bed, it sends warmth down his shoulders, but the warmth disappears as fast as it came; he also feels overwhelming guilt because he knows that she’s aware of the fact that he is the royal tailor now, thus the mother and son can barely see each other. 

 

“Do you plan on standing there forever, Baekhyun?” she asks without having to turn around to acknowledge his sudden presence. He can almost hear the smile in her small voice. 

 

“I was anxious thinking that you’d be angry when you realize that I snuck out to the tower again.” Baekhyun replies truthfully, tapping his foot lightly on the floor. “I don’t want to risk getting smacked in the head again.” 

 

His mother laughs as she shakes her head, assuring him that she is nowhere near furious. He smiles, taking a seat on the bed, watching as she lights up another candle, this time placing it on his study table near the door. When she turns to see him, she takes his face in her hands, pinching both his cheeks. “At this point, I’m no longer surprised if you were to drag the bed up to the tower for you to sleep on. I’m too exhausted to be angry at you for sneaking out of the room when I know you will eventually still do the same thing.” 

 

Baekhyun chuckles. “That’s true.”

 

“You should get some sleep, Baekhyun. I know you’re as tired as I am,” she urges. 

 

He yawns before he nods in agreement. Getting some sleep really sounds like the best thing to do now and there is no one to stop him. No guards forcing him to enter meeting rooms, no clothes to sew, no prince to argue with; all of those will return tomorrow, so for now, all he wants to do is close his eyes and fall asleep to the sound of his mother’s soft hums.

 

“Ma…” he whispers. “What does it mean if someone’s mark is jade green?” 

 

His mother is quite surprised by the sudden question, but she doesn’t waste her time answering him. Quietly, she pats his hair with gentle strokes, slightly combing the brown locks with her trembling fingers. 

 

“Green can sometimes be taken as envy, but usually, it is great longing.” She answers. “It portrays feelings that are acknowledged, but are also pushed away.” 

 

Baekhyun stares up at his mother, confused, silently demanding a simpler explanation as she traces her hand on his mark. 

 

“It represents unrequited love,” she murmurs with a solemn look. “And I would never want you to experience such thing.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_ii._ **

 

 

 

 

 

The marbled floors are immediately wet when he steps out of the bathtub, the scented water dripping alongside the red rose petals. The maids hustle against each other as they try to wipe at his naked body, keeping up with his pace as he makes his way to the indoor closet. Chanyeol chuckles lightly at the sight of the numerous, expensive suits surrounding him. The sight of black and white in his enormous closet is starting to bore him by now, his whole room so dull and tedious. Somehow for some people who don’t know him, they think it reflects who he is. 

 

 _The cold, boring ice prince_ , Chanyeol almost laughs. _What a load of bullshit._

 

He allows the maids to suffocate him with layers and layers of clothing as he stands, staring at himself in the mirror. The nickname they tend to call him isn’t necessarily false; he _is_ a dull, boring prince – but these people don’t seem to realize that they _gave_ him that name. He grew up listening to whispers and blatant lies being spread around him, describing who he was before he could even decide of who to become. 

 

The king’s beloved first son, the heir of the throne, the adored little sun. The boy who ran and ran in the meadow, sunflowers in his hair, the disobedient child of the queen. The strange prince who doesn’t seem to acknowledge who he truly is – the heir who is rather ignorant of his royal title. The one who has disappointed the king even before he could have the chance of growing up to understand the true meaning of becoming a prince. 

 

The king and the queen loved him, he knew that, but he also knew that he’s somehow not what they have expected to be the first prince. The entire Kingdom of Spring was fed with stories of the beloved prince and how the king treasured him, showered him with affection to no end, but what he had experienced throughout his life was beyond different than what the people have been told; he’s seen the look of pity in his mother’s eyes before. The disappointment on his father’s shoulders every time he looks at him. 

 

The young prince with a heart too soft – flinching at the sight of a single blade and running away when he heard the slightest sound of terror coming towards the kingdom. The one who spent his time drawing and playing in the flower garden, trying to impress his father by showing him his useless talents. Chanyeol has heard and seen it all, how they truly look at him. 

 

By the time the second prince was born, he was overshadowed. For once, he was thankful that the negative attention wasn’t on him anymore, but when Sehun came, the king was surprisingly… happy. Despite the child being the royal concubine’s son, everyone was more than happy to celebrate the birth of the second prince. 

 

Chanyeol was just a boy back then, barely four. But he remembered. He remembered it all – he grew up watching people shower his little brother with attention and praises; peeked his head out of the small window, watching as the queen and the royal concubine coo over the little prince’s adorable antics, having to witness the king’s cold demeanor melting away when he laid his eyes on the second prince. Having been ignored when he tried to show his brand-new drawing to his father. Chanyeol remembers it all. 

 

 _The true prince that we have been waiting for,_ they said. The prince who grew up with a dream to become a leader and a warrior, surrounded himself with the king’s knights, an enthusiast when it comes to fighting for his kingdom. Yet Chanyeol still opted on sitting alone by the flower garden, plucking more sunflowers to put in his hair. The king and the queen would barely notice whenever he was gone, despite the fact that he was too young to stray away. 

 

Isolating himself just outside the barn, always cowering when some of the goats try to approach him. If he was the second prince, he would’ve bravely defended himself then, with the stupid wooden sword that Sehun used to carry around and hit people with. But Chanyeol wasn’t anywhere as courageous as the younger prince. He only cowered in fear, tugging his drawing book to his chest, wishing that he could be left alone for once. 

 

Being alone gave him comfort. He was nine by then, and he preferred to sit by himself rather than watch his parents showering his little brother with affection that Chanyeol once had to beg for. 

 

But that day, behind that barn, Chanyeol wasn’t alone. He only watched in awe as another boy came and ran towards the goats, shooing them off with his piercing shriek. Chanyeol would always remember this boy – mud on his cheek, smile on his face and dull needles deep in his pockets. He reached his hand out for Chanyeol to take and gave him a gentle smile – something that Chanyeol rarely saw. Something that no one was willing to give to him because they assumed that he didn’t deserve it.

 

Snatched out of his daydream, Chanyeol jolts at the sound of laughter coming from outside. He slips away from his maids, walking towards his window, buttoning up his shirt as he stares at the pair of boys chasing after each other under the morning sun. He watches as Baekhyun childishly shoves the second prince away when he tries to get closer. Chanyeol gently tugs onto the curtain, a frown present on his face when he sees the king and queen watching the two boys as they have breakfast outside. 

 

“Seems like they forgot to invite me for breakfast again,” the crown prince murmurs to himself. “Even the stupid servant tailor is there with them.”

 

Chanyeol gazes at the way Sehun holds onto Baekhyun when he finally catches him, whispering something in his ear that made the tailor let out a bubbly laugh. They return to the table where the king and the queen await them with matching grins, rewarding the two with pats on their shoulders. He watches as Baekhyun takes a seat next to the second prince, clinking teacups playfully while the tailor erupts in a fit of bright laughter once more, the nostalgic sound of it pulling out a cherished memory in Chanyeol’s mind.

 

Chanyeol grew up with the former royal tailor’s son by his side. He stopped isolating himself just to be friends with the cheerful boy who didn’t have to do much to steal the king and the queen’s attention, not when they already adored Lady Yoon in the first place. Baekhyun became someone who he always turned to whenever he felt like he was being shoved away. He long abandoned his drawing book, always preferred to run around with the little servant, plucking sunflowers petals in their hair, nudging old Lady Yoon when she tried to focus on sewing. 

 

“ _Even the royal tailor’s son is better than him,_ ” he’s heard the king say once. Twice. Too many times for him to bear to listen anymore. “ _Loyal, brave, ambitious. But what does our first son have?_ ”

 

Even Baekhyun is better than him – more qualified to be called a crown prince. But Chanyeol didn’t mind, he couldn’t bring himself to care. Young Chanyeol adored the royal tailor’s son. But now, as time went by, as they grew up, Chanyeol couldn’t help but realize that everyone else turned out to be the same after all. Everyone would end up growing tired of the crown prince, discovering fun and excitement with the second prince instead.

 

Chanyeol grew helpless when he saw Baekhyun slowly becoming attached to the second prince, ditching Chanyeol and his little drawings to play with Sehun’s wooden swords. 

 

In the end, all of them ended up leaving him alone again. 

 

Chanyeol didn’t bother to spend his time alone by the barn or plucking sunflower petals anymore. He knew that if he did, he would end up being forgotten away. Never once did Baekhyun come to look for him, despite how long he waited for the little servant to play with him again.

 

The crown prince laughs slightly, fixing his watch on his wrist. He can’t believe something so insignificant from the past affected him so much until he’s fully grown up. He isn’t the “dull, ice prince” because people were too scared to approach him due to his arrogance. Chanyeol just doesn’t know how to approach people again, knowing that they have the full potential to hurt him again. 

 

He makes his way downstairs where the servants wait for him by the dining room. Chanyeol sees platters of food arranged on one side of the massive dining table, a full breakfast served just for him. One of the servants pull out a chair for him, too intimidated to look at him in the eye. The whole dining room seems lonely and quiet, but he can still hear the sound of the king and the second prince laughing just outside. 

 

“Why is my breakfast served here?” he questions. “The rest of them are outside, aren’t they?”

 

“T-The king assumed that you wouldn’t be pleased if you were to have breakfast outside, Your Highness,” the servant stutters. “But if you prefer to have breakfast outside as well, I-I can bring—”

 

“It’s fine, I was simply asking.” Chanyeol shakes his head, taking a seat. “It is too hot outside today, and I don’t want to have my breakfast with the royal tailor by my side, anyway. I’m fine just eating right here.”

 

The servant doesn’t seem too entirely convinced, but she nods frantically, wiping at her white apron. “Very well, Your Highness. Please enjoy your meal.”

 

The servants rushed out of the dining room without any words, leaving the crown prince alone to stare at his meal. He can still hear his family having a cheerful conversation with the royal tailor outside, along with the sound of cutlery clinking against plates, but they sound distant and far, extremely out of his reach.

 

Chanyeol silently grabs a single slice of toast, taking a gentle bite of it as he stares ahead. Being alone is something he’s too familiar with. Once again, the crown prince is isolated from his own family. This time, he doesn’t bother to care anymore. He has already taught himself that loneliness is just something that he has to face inevitably. 

 

He tries to convince himself that loneliness isn’t as bad as he remembered it to be. In fact, he prefers the piercing silence now. No one is willing to engage in a simple conversation with him unless truly necessary. Not a sight of servants suffocating him with questions regarding to his comfort and no sight of the servant boy with mud on his cheek and bright smile on his face, holding his hand out for Chanyeol to take.

 

He will be okay.

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

“Again.”

 

Chanyeol grunts in frustration, throwing his head back. He swears, he’s one dance away from smashing a vase on this old hag’s face. Sehun seems as exhausted as he is – even their waltzing partners look like they need a ten-hour sleep from all the practicing they have been doing since last week. Just a few hours ago, the young girls were more than excited to be dancing with the two princes as preparation from the grand ceremony that will take place in this exact ballroom in just a few days. 

 

“I don’t get why I have to participate in this stupid ballroom dancing when I’m not the one who’s going to turn eighteen,” Sehun grumbles, still holding his partner by her waist. 

 

Chanyeol rolls his eyes as he listens to his little brother’s endless complaints. “It’s not like I _want_ to be here either.” 

 

“If you could just focus and improve with your dancing, we wouldn’t have to keep practicing every single day!” the second prince hisses at him, nudging his foot out to kick at Chanyeol’s shin. “You suck at this!”

 

“You’re not any good either,” Chanyeol retorts, twirling his dance partner for the tenth time. She looks like she’s about to throw up any second now from all the twirling and spinning. Chanyeol doesn’t really blame her for it. 

 

The two princes’ waltz instructor stays sitting on the chair as she watches them, holding a small folded fan in her hands – very convenient when it comes to the hot weather _and_ smacking Sehun’s head whenever he refuses to stop whining.  She narrows her eyes whenever Chanyeol makes the slightest mistake in his steps, up and ready to scold him again for repeating the wrong movement. 

 

“How is this so difficult for you?” the old woman asks, smacking Chanyeol’s arm with her god damned fan. “How are you supposed to dance at the ceremony when you keep on failing like this?”

 

Chanyeol grits his teeth, trying his best not to glare at her. Fucking old hag. If it wasn’t for the fact that she was also the one who taught the king how to dance when he was younger, Chanyeol would have seriously slammed her against the huge piano by the corner of the ballroom or something. He takes in a deep breath, holding onto his partner once more as the music starts to play again.

 

He’s only taken just a few steps before the insane woman groans, flailing her arms around, throwing her fan at the small radio. “Wrong, wrong, wrong! Wrong again!”

 

Chanyeol lets out a resigned sigh, stopping completely. “I want to take a break.”

 

“The second prince was doing so well! Your own partner was doing well!” She yells. “It’s something so simple yet you can’t seem to do it no matter how many times you have practiced!”

 

Sehun chuckles gently, folding his arms as he raises a brow. “Seriously, Chanyeol. It’s just a simple dance and you can’t even do that. Am I really better than you in _everything_? Is there at least something that you _can_ do?”

 

It’s silly to be _this_ hurt over a pair of siblings’ quarrel, but even Sehun can see it in his eyes now. Guilt flashes across Sehun’s face when he realizes that he took it too far, but Chanyeol doesn’t really want to deal with this today, not when what his younger brother said was actually true. 

 

“Chanyeol, wait—” 

 

He’s already taken a step out of the door before Sehun said anything else, and Chanyeol turns to see the royal tailor, out of all people, in front of him with his fist up in the air, like he was about to knock on the door to the ballroom. Baekhyun blinks when he stares up at Chanyeol, holding a small bottled water to his chest. 

 

“Oh… Your Highness…” Baekhyun hesitates. 

 

The crown prince stops, standing too close for comfort with the royal tailor, silently looking at him. Chanyeol notices the boy’s tight grip on the bottle before he sees a dry towel draped on the tailor’s shoulder. Baekhyun stares at him questioningly, looking like he’s searching for answers in the depth of Chanyeol’s disappointed eyes. 

 

“Uh, is Prince Sehun still in the ballroom?” Baekhyun asks as he points to the door.

 

Chanyeol scoffs before he snatches the bottle out of the tailor’s hands, ignoring the boy’s startled yelp before he walks away, leaving everyone behind. Of course Baekhyun was searching for Sehun – they were too attached with each other to begin with – but it’s impossible if Baekhyun didn’t know that Chanyeol was in that ballroom too. If he had any decency at all, he would’ve brought along two water bottles for two of the princes. Chanyeol cringes at his own thought. Baekhyun and him aren’t on good terms, it’s only logical that Baekhyun wasn’t there to see him. It would’ve been weird if he _was._

 

It still leaves a bitter taste in Chanyeol’s mouth, though. He hits his own head with the bottle, forcing himself to stop dwelling on the royal tailor and his brother so much. He has never been so bothered by the two of them before, so why is he overthinking about them _now_? 

 

“Quit being so whiny,” he scolds himself, thumping his head against the wall. He even almost forgot the real reason why he was upset in the first place. 

 

Chanyeol is too distracted with the water bottle to notice the second prince walking out of the ballroom again, this time with the royal tailor in tow. When Chanyeol _does_ realize that the waltzing practice was over, he hides himself behind the nearest pillar, glancing at the royal tailor. 

 

Baekhyun gently presses the towel onto the second prince’s forehead, wiping all the sweat off his face. Sehun makes silly faces at the royal tailor in the midst of getting his face wiped, earning a soft chuckle from the tailor. 

 

Chanyeol fights the urge to vomit right then and there at the sight of the two boys giggling together. He slams the bottle of water to the floor, startling both of the boys when they realize that they weren’t alone. Chanyeol gives the tailor one last glare before he makes his way upstairs, wiping at his own sweat with his sleeves, missing the way Baekhyun stares at him in confusion. 

 

_Childish. You’re being childish. Quit acting like such a child._

 

The crown prince lets out an embarrassed groan, pulling onto his own ears when he lies on his bed. What he did just now – its seemed like an immature child throwing a tantrum. He shouldn’t have made his presence known. He shouldn’t have even hide behind the pillar to spy on the second prince and the royal tailor. 

 

“What am I doing?” he whispers helplessly to himself.

 

_Just what am I doing?_

 

Chanyeol jumps slightly when someone knocks on the door. He slams his pillow onto his head, covering both his ears to ignore the constant knocking before he grunts and stomps to the door. If this is one of those panicking servants again, he swears that he really won’t tolerate them today. He might as well just fire them right here.

 

Baekhyun’s small smile greets him the moment he opens the door. Chanyeol backs away a little, surprised by his presence before he tries to seem unfazed, nodding at the tailor. 

 

“What do you want?” he asks, glaring at the boy. 

 

The royal tailor shows him a small white towel in his hand as he stands on the tip of his toes, reaching up to the crown prince’s head. He wipes the towel on Chanyeol’s forehead as Chanyeol stares at him, blinking in a speechless manner. He pushes the tailor away. “What on earth do you think you are doing, servant boy?”

 

“I just thought that…” Baekhyun starts reluctantly, before he shakes his head. “Nevermind.”

 

“Is that… the towel that you used to wipe my brother’s head with?” Chanyeol points at the towel, disgusted. 

 

“What? No!” the royal tailor denies, waving the cloth around. “Of course not, Your Highness!”

 

“You keep on insisting that you aren’t a servant, but here you are, in front of me, trying to wipe my face,” Chanyeol snorts as he makes fun of the tailor, ignoring the constant thumping of his heart and the rhythmic pulsing on his wrist. “I’m beginning to think that you are both the royal tailor _and_ the servant.”

 

Baekhyun glares at him, and Chanyeol genuinely thinks that he missed that look. He prefers the royal tailor glaring at him with eyes full of hatred than having to see him staring at Chanyeol with a look in his eyes that Chanyeol can’t seem to decipher. 

 

“I was just trying to be nice.” Baekhyun replies, shoving the towel to Chanyeol’s chest. “You should try that for once. Perhaps if you do, you wouldn’t be such a nuisance to deal with.” 

 

“No one told you to come to me in the first place.” Chanyeol huffs, throwing the towel away. 

 

“Maybe I just wanted to, okay?” Baekhyun says, rolling his eyes before he slams the door onto Chanyeol’s face. 

 

Chanyeol is left alone to stare at the closed door, listening to the tailor’s footsteps getting further and further. He picks up the white towel that he threw earlier, wiping his thumb at Baekhyun’s initials sewed on the corner of the towel. He chucks the towel into the laundry basket, sighing as he hides his face onto his pillow again.

 

_Just what am I doing?_

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_iii._ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surprisingly, Baekhyun rarely talks to the crown prince as a few months go by. He sees short glimpses of the prince when he’s walking past the hallway, or when he sees the prince with his family in the morning, bantering with the second prince during breakfast. They no longer talk unless completely necessary, and Baekhyun is thankful for that. The prince still sends him a sharp glare when their eyes meet, but at least he doesn’t say a word to him anymore. They are back to the way they were before. 

 

Baekhyun only spends his time helping the other servants, preparing for the crown prince’s coming-of-age ceremony, which the said prince doesn’t even seem to be looking forward to. Despite the fact that the ceremony is supposedly a big day for Chanyeol, it seems like everyone else are excited for that day to come except for the prince himself. 

 

Words travel fast; Baekhyun has witnessed multiple news channels reporting on the grand event, and at first, he wondered _why_ was it such a big deal that the prince is about to have his mark, as it is the same occurrence that happens to everyone who turns eighteen, just like he did a few months ago.

 

His soulmate mark is still inked jet black, colorless and blank – Baekhyun doesn’t bother counting down the days for his soulmate to finally appear anymore. No one cared about his mark, and Baekhyun is beginning to not pay attention to it as well. It doesn’t matter if it will simply remain colorless for the rest of life. Baekhyun would actually prefer that than finding out who his soulmate truly is.

 

It’s the night before the grand ceremony – everyone was too busy preparing for the big day to notice Baekhyun sneaking around in the palace’s kitchen. He had been too occupied trying to help everyone with the preparations to the extent where he simply had forgotten to eat. Now, right in the middle of the night, Baekhyun steals a few grapes and bread from the counter, humming in delight as he fills his empty stomach.

 

Baekhyun tiptoes across the enormous dining hall, half eaten baguette squished in between his two hands, trying his best not to make a sound from his quick trip to the kitchen. The two guards standing under the dimmed lights are used to the sight of the royal tailor sneaking around in the kitchen at midnight, always looking for something to eat after skipping dinner. 

 

Baekhyun stops when he notices one of the guards raising his brow at him, so Baekhyun only smiles shyly, holding up his baguette, as if trying to tell the guard that _no_ , he was not stealing something precious – he simply wanted some leftover bread. In the middle of the night.

 

“Good evening, Jongin,” he greets the man reluctantly, and slightly feeling guilty for pushing the man earlier that day. In his defense, he was busy and the bodyguard was blocking his way!

 

The man only nods at him knowingly. “Hungry as usual, yes?”

 

“Ah,” his stomach grumbles just before Baekhyun could reply with a proper sentence. “Yes…”

 

The bodyguard says nothing else, so Baekhyun takes that as a clue to walk back to his mother’s room as fast as he can to save himself from further embarrassment. He hastily shoves the baguette into his mouth, face reddening as his pace quickens. 

 

Just as he no longer feels the bodyguard’s burning gaze on his back, he hears soft mumbles and hums not too far from where he is standing. He slows down, still chewing, trying to listen to the hums and follows, walking towards the place that the quiet sounds will lead him. 

 

There’s a slightly opened door that leads him to the ballroom where many events have taken place. He backs away when he sees a silhouette of a man, wondering if he should yell for Jongin or any other guards that are nearer to where he is, but as he takes a closer look, his eyes widen when they stumble on the crown prince singing to himself as he waltzes alone. 

 

Baekhyun watches as the prince grumble when he messes up, almost tripping on his feet. The crown prince stands back up, straightening his posture with a determined expression. He moves once more with his arms stretched out and feet clumsily shuffling on the floor before he staggers again. The royal tailor unintentionally smiles at this, stifling his sudden laughter by shoving the bread into his mouth. 

 

He silently stares as Chanyeol pretends to spin his “dance partner” in his arms, humming a little louder as he focuses, tongue jutting out of his mouth adorably with his eyebrows furrowed. When the crown prince almost slips again, Baekhyun swallows, contemplating on revealing himself, wondering if it would be a good idea or a horrible one. The prince _does_ despise him, even slightly. 

 

But the grand ceremony is tomorrow and the crown prince seems like he is nowhere near prepared for the dance. Prince and princesses from other kingdoms will be arriving soon just to be the lucky ones to dance with the well-known crown prince; the least Baekhyun can do is help him, even if it means getting more ‘servant boy’ insults along the way. 

 

“Your Highness, if I may…” he starts to say, full of courage as he enters the ballroom. “You’re supposed to have a partner when you dance.”

 

The prince almost screams when he sees him, holding onto his chest as he jumps. “How long have you been standing there?”

 

“Only for a few seconds,” he bows. “I apologize, Your Highness. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

 

“Are you going to make fun of me?” Chanyeol asks, defensive. “Is that what you intended to do when you came here?”

 

Baekhyun shakes his head as he approaches the prince, settling his baguette down on a stool nearby. “No, Your Highness, of course not. I’ve come to help.”

 

Chanyeol laughs nervously, looking at the tailor in doubt. “Help? I don’t need your help.”

 

“All right,” Baekhyun nods, grinning. He places both his hands on the crown prince’s shoulders, pretending to not see the prince’s eyes widening. “I know you don’t need my help. I’m just here as your dance partner.”

 

“I don’t need a dance partner either,” Chanyeol scoffs, shoving the royal tailor away. “Leave.”

 

Baekhyun ignores the prince’s protests, humming as he places his hands on the crown prince’s shoulders again, this time with a little grip so the prince can’t easily brush him off once more. 

 

“I saw you dance just now and I saw how you almost slipped,” Baekhyun whistles. He sees the prince’s cheeks reddening in shame. “We don’t want that to happen during the actual ceremony, do we?”

 

“And I suppose _you_ know how to dance properly?” Chanyeol snorts, but he allows the royal tailor to hold onto his shoulders again while his own hands are still limp by his sides. “What a joke.”

 

Baekhyun shrugs, showing a lop-sided grin. “Well, I do consider myself quite a good dancer. I dance with my mother all the time. Come on now, my prince, let me show you a few good steps that will surely steal some princesses’ hearts.”

 

“I don’t have to steal other princesses’ hearts,” Chanyeol mumbles, hesitantly placing his hands on Baekhyun’s shoulders, awkward and stiff. “I have Joohyun.”

 

“That’s true,” the royal tailor nods, releasing his grip on the prince’s shoulders in order to hold onto the latter’s hands, bringing them down to his waist. “Hold my waist like this.”

 

Chanyeol flinches, before he pulls away completely, baffled. “I am _not_ going to hold you by your waist like that.”

 

Baekhyun sighs, rolling his eyes in annoyance. “Fine. I will put my hands on your waist, then.”

 

“No one is touching anyone’s waist!” Chanyeol shrieks. “This is a bad idea. I should just go to sleep. It is a big day for me tomorrow.”

 

“A big day that you will ruin by not knowing how to dance,” Baekhyun hums, tapping his foot on the floor, waiting for the prince to give in. He doesn’t know why he insists on helping the prince so much when he could have eaten his bread in peace and get some sleep. “I don’t suppose Princess Joohyun would like it if you stepped on her feet, would she?”

 

Chanyeol’s cheeks redden with anger and shame, just about to yell at the tailor again before he sighs. “I won’t step on her feet. I’m not _that_ terrible in dancing.”

 

“Let’s just practice one last time before the big day,” Baekhyun suggests, approaching the prince again. “I know that we aren’t exactly fond of each other and we don’t like being in each other’s presence, but I’m not that evil to let you embarrass yourself at the ballroom dance.”

 

“Mind your choice of words, servant boy,” the crown prince warns, holding onto the tailor’s shoulders once more. “If I were to slip and fall during the dance tomorrow, I will throw you out of this palace. If anyone sees us right now, I will throw them out of the palace too.” 

 

“Neither of that will happen. Trust me, Your Highness,” Baekhyun grins, taking a step backwards. The hands on his shoulders fall back to the prince’s sides, before the tailor reaches out his hand for the prince. “Take my hand.” 

 

The prince seems lost for a moment, his eyes glazed with wonder as he stares at Baekhyun’s outstretched hand. Baekhyun grasps onto the prince’s hands, bringing them down to his waist before he holds onto the prince’s shoulders again, flashing a nervous smile. He can’t believe that the crown prince actually agreed on doing this with him in the middle of the night just before the ceremony. If any of the guards or the maids found them here, he knows that they would be in big trouble. 

 

“Put your feet on mine, it’ll be easier to lead you.” Baekhyun says. 

 

“Have you gone mad? I’d crush you!” Chanyeol frets, unknowingly tightening his hold on the royal tailor’s waist. 

 

“Nothing to worry about, I’ve done this with the second prince before.” Baekhyun winks, not noticing the slightest glint of light in the crown prince’s eyes vanishing at the mere mention of his younger brother. “That’s why Sehun is so good at dancing. I taught him how to do so.”

 

“Oh,” the first prince pauses for a while, before he nods and steps on Baekhyun’s feet. “All right then. Don’t blame me if your feet turn sore tomorrow. I obviously weigh more than you.”

 

Baekhyun yelps at the sudden pressure on his feet, biting his lip as he tries to lead the prince. “Not… that… heavy…. See?”

 

It’s just for a short while, but Baekhyun manages to hear it; the prince’s soft chuckle as he watches Baekhyun struggling to move. Chanyeol has a full smile on his face now, dimple visible on his rosy cheeks as he lightly laughs at Baekhyun’s misery, but Baekhyun realizes that he doesn’t mind. 

 

The prince is actually capable of smiling at him – that’s a first. It’s been too long since he has seen Chanyeol laughing at something he did, and perhaps it is because the prince’s guard is lowered down at this time, knowing that no one is here to see them interacting. Baekhyun knows that Chanyeol will never want to be seen with him, but seeing the prince laughing along with him, it strikes a glimmer of hope in restoring his old friendship with this sunflower prince. 

 

“Alright, bad idea, bad idea!” Baekhyun groans, slightly pushing the prince away to set his swollen feet free. “New plan: don’t step on my feet. I’ll just try to lead you.”

 

Chanyeol continues to laugh, nodding in agreement as he holds onto Baekhyun’s waist again, swinging their bodies from left to right. “I think you really don’t know what you are doing.”

 

“I do. I’m good at this.” Baekhyun grunts, determined to prove the prince wrong. 

 

He hums to a simple song, creating a gentle rhythm as he dances with the first prince, occasionally getting his foot stepped on again because undeniably, the prince is really terrible at dancing, but Baekhyun can see how badly he wants to improve. 

 

When the prince focuses on the movement of his feet, Baekhyun quietly stares at him, a soft smile stretched on his face as he takes a closer look at the crown prince. He can hear Chanyeol counting his steps under his breath, shoulders tense and eyes narrowed as moves. Baekhyun closes his eyes, resting his head on the prince’s shoulder, feeling the latter freezing under his hold. 

 

Chanyeol stops, staring down on him. “What are you doing?”

 

“It’s a part of the dance,” Baekhyun hums, pressing his cheek against the crown prince’s collarbone. “You seemed stiff and hesitant. When you dance, you’re supposed to go with the flow. We’re practicing, remember? Don’t be afraid.”

 

“I’m not afraid,” the crown prince murmurs. “Am I doing well?”

 

He supposes that Chanyeol’s cold façade is broken down at a time like this, when he desperately needs someone to guide him, or when he’s clueless of his next move. It surprises him to listen to the crown prince speaking to him like this – like he needs constant reassurance and guidance, unsure if what he’s doing might be a mistake. 

 

Baekhyun nods, still resting his head on the prince’s shoulder. Their slow movements almost lull him to sleep, especially when it’s too quiet like this, and quite frankly, Baekhyun decides that he likes this. 

 

“You’re doing really well, Your Highness,” Baekhyun gives him a reassuring smile. “Good job. I’m sure the princesses can’t wait to dance with you tomorrow.”

 

He doesn’t realize that it’s already midnight just until the clock dings, and the prince suddenly flinches, whimpering in pain. Baekhyun pulls away, alarmed, watching as the crown prince clasps onto his wrist, wincing. 

 

“Your Highness!” Baekhyun exclaims, “Are you alright? What happened?”

 

“I-I don’t know…” Chanyeol winces again, bringing both his hands to his chest. “Call the guards!”

 

Baekhyun remains standing there, frozen at the sight of the mark on his wrist coloring. His hands tremble as he watches his soulmate mark no longer inked black, instead it shimmers a somber blue. He can’t bring himself to look at the prince again, but it is the prince who pulls onto his hand, fingers digging into Baekhyun’s mark. 

 

“What…” Chanyeol’s voice shakes as he stares at Baekhyun’s wrist in disgust. “What is this…?”

 

The crown prince is no longer smiling at him. It disappeared the moment he realized what was happening, and now he can’t bring himself to look at the royal tailor’s face anymore. Baekhyun can’t seem to speak, can’t seem to explain, he can only watch as the prince’s eyes water, bloodshot red with anger. 

 

 _It’s him_ . 

 

Baekhyun can see it clearly now – the identical mark etched onto the crown prince’s wrist, extremely similar with the one engraved on the skin of Baekhyun’s wrist and it still doesn’t make sense. The mark is starting to hurt now, but seeing the revulsion in the prince’s eyes as he looks at their marks somehow hurts him even more. 

 

“I…” Baekhyun swallows, hiding his wrist behind his back. “I think… that we are each other’s soulmates…”

 

This is not what was supposed to happen. His mother said that discovering your soulmate for the first time was the best thing that can happen; the feeling of finally feeling his soulmate’s presence near him will bring him great joy but this – this isn’t supposed to happen. He’s not supposed to feel this hurt and dejected, not being able to look at his own soulmate in the eye. 

 

Chanyeol lets out a sarcastic laugh, but he sounds scared too. Terrified of what’s to come and what could happen in the future. A prince with a servant as his soulmate – how would the king react if he ever finds out about this?

 

“What have you done?” Chanyeol asks, demanding for an answer, gripping onto Baekhyun’s hand so harshly, it makes him wince. “Tell me what you’ve done!”

 

“I don’t know!” Baekhyun shouts. “I didn’t do anything, I swear!” 

 

“Lies!” Chanyeol grabs onto his shoulders, shaking him. “You must’ve planned for this to happen, didn’t you?”

 

“No!” Baekhyun clenches his fists, pushing the prince’s hands away. “I didn’t do anything!” 

 

The crown prince shoves Baekhyun away, pushing at his chest until he falls to the ground. He stops when he sees Baekhyun backing away from him, terrified. 

 

“You are not allowed to attend the ceremony tomorrow.” Chanyeol speaks, glaring at him once again. “I don’t want to see you anywhere near me. Hide that mark on your wrist and do not let anyone else know about this.”

 

Baekhyun stares at the prince in disbelief. “But—”

 

“If anyone ever finds out about this, I will make sure that you will never return to this palace.” Chanyeol warns him, giving him one last look before he walks away. “Do not ever talk to me again. I don’t want anything to do with you anymore.” 

 

He watches as the prince slams the door on his way out, leaving him alone in the empty ballroom as his mark turns red, inflicting pain within him.

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” 

 

His mother asks, rubbing his back. Their bedroom door is slightly open and he can hear the lively music playing from afar, along with people’s cheers and laughter. Baekhyun turns to stare longingly at the door for a slight moment before he shakes his head and feigns a small smile to his worried mother. 

 

“I’m sure,” he replies. “Go and have fun, ma. I’m quite tired.” 

 

“But you should at least come and eat, Baekhyun.” His mother sighs. “Go get changed and let’s meet some people. It’s rude to stay in your room like this when we have guests.”

 

“We don’t belong there, ma.” Baekhyun says. It’s the truth after all. The two tailors can’t keep pretending that they actually matter in this kingdom. “The ceremony is for kings and queens, princes and princesses. People of royal blood. We don’t deserve to be there with them.”

 

“Baekhyun,” she calls, quite surprised at his words. “Yesterday, you seemed excited to attend the ceremony. What is this really about?” 

 

Baekhyun stays silent, can’t bear to look at his mother’s questioning gaze because he knows that if he does, she will pull the answers and unspoken secrets out of him. His wrists are covered beneath his sleeves, as if his own soulmate mark brings danger to himself, shining hazardous red ever since the crown prince warned him about their marks. He doesn’t want to humiliate the prince and his whole family by revealing that the well-known crown prince’s soulmate is a mere tailor in the palace – this will only bring great shame to their kingdom. As much as Baekhyun craves for a soulmate, he won’t do this to the prince. 

 

“I can’t,” Baekhyun croaks out, shaking his head frantically. “I can’t go out there, ma. I will only humiliate us all.”

 

His mother rushes to his side, cradling his chin in her small hands. “What are you talking about? What happened, Baekhyun? Why won’t you tell your mother about this?”

 

“I can’t tell anyone, ma, not even you.” He whispers, ashamed and guilty as he stares at his lap. “I might put us both in danger.”

 

“You’re being hysterical!” his mother exclaims, eyes bulged out in shock. “Stop speaking nonsense, Baekhyun! We aren’t going to be in danger. Why are you acting like this?”

 

“Ma, just—” he sighs. “Just go and enjoy your night, okay? I’m fine just staying here.”

 

“I’m not going anywhere until my son tells me what is happening to him and why he is acting like a madman,” his mother sternly replies, folding her arms against her chest. 

 

He finally braces himself to meet his mother’s gaze. She seems more worried than angry, hands a little bit shaky as she still holds onto his jaw. His mother looks more tired than she usually did, and Baekhyun feels a tinge of guilt knowing that all the exhaustion she felt was caused by him. He sighs, leaning into her embrace, caving into the warmth of her loving arms. 

 

He can still listen to the music and laughter coming from the other end of the door. He wonders how everyone reacted when they see how hideous the crown prince’s mark is – all because of him. They must’ve wondered why the prince’s mark is red, or why a needle, out of all things, was inked onto the prince’s wrist. Will they wonder why the crown prince’s mark isn’t similar to any of the princesses’ mark? Will they ever demand to see the prince’s soulmate? And when that happens, will Baekhyun be hidden and kept away once more to avoid bringing shame to the royal family? 

 

He had almost forgotten about the second prince. 

 

_“Just three more years, yes?” Sehun asks and finally releases his wrist. “I will turn eighteen soon… and I will have the same mark carved onto my wrist. Just you see.”_

 

What will Sehun say if he sees that mark on his older brother’s wrist? The mark that he promised to have once he turns eighteen. The same mark on Baekhyun’s wrist that he traced his fingers on.

 

_“Mind if I remind you that you are a prince, Your Highness. The possibility of you being my soulmate is very unlikely.” Baekhyun simply laughs, reaching up to disarrange the prince’s hair. “Silly boy.”_

 

Somehow, Baekhyun has the sudden urge to laugh at himself. _Silly boy_. 

 

“Baekhyun…?” his mother pats his cheek. “What is it, son?”

 

He bites the inner part of his cheek, contemplating on confiding in his own mother. Baekhyun trusts his mother more than anyone else, but he can’t be too certain that his mother won’t inform the queen about this matter if Baekhyun tells her that he and the crown prince share the same mark. Though keeping something so crucial from his mother brings him great guilt. 

 

“If I tell you, ma…” he starts as he folds his sleeves, slow and hesitant. “You have to promise me that you won’t tell anyone about this, especially the queen.”

 

“Sweetheart, if it is something important that might bring danger to our lives or to the kingdom, I have no option but to tell the king and the queen.” She says apologetically, but this time, he can sense the hint of impatience laced in the softness of her voice.

 

Baekhyun lets his head hang low, fiddling with the hem of his sleeves. He pulls on them with one single tug, revealing the red, glimmering needle-shaped mark engraved on his wrist. It’s starting to sting a bit, caused by the damaged relationship between him and his soulmate, but it’s still bearable. Baekhyun just doesn’t know if he can hold on any longer if the crown prince continues to refuse to acknowledge their marks. He has read and heard stories about the red marks before – how they sting and the pain they caused. 

 

His mother doesn’t say anything when she finally sees his mark again; this time it is no longer dull and black, but it is lively in deep crimson. She swipes her fingertips on the mark, in awe at the sight of her son’s mark finally coloring, but she doesn’t smile. Not when Baekhyun looks so helpless and scared like this. She smiles bitterly, covering the mark with her palm.

 

“You’ve finally discovered who your soulmate is,” she states. “Aren’t you happy, darling?”

 

Baekhyun slumps in defeat before he shrugs his shoulders. “I thought I would be.”

 

“Do you know who it is?” his mother asks. 

 

It takes him too long to answer, and judging by the way she silently watches as Baekhyun stares at the door, she eventually comprehends his doubts. 

 

“Your soulmate… It’s the crown prince, isn’t it?” she chuckles gently, pinching his chin. She doesn’t wait for his answer this time. “Of course, it’s him… Who else could it be if it wasn’t him?” 

 

“I didn’t want it to be him,” Baekhyun huffs. “I would’ve been happier if it was anyone else except him. You’ve seen how he acts around me, mama, he hates me!”

 

“He does not hate you,” she shorts, running her fingers through his hair like she always does in order to calm him down. “You two used to be friends, remember?” 

 

“Yes, we were,” he says, sullen. _And I just want my friend back._

 

“Are you… in love with him?” she asks. He can’t tell if she’s genuinely curious or if she just wants to lighten up the situation – which is _not_ working. 

 

“What?” he grimaces, pulling away from her grasp just to give her a bewildered look. “No! God, no. Absolutely not, ma.”

 

“Alright, I was just making sure,” his mother laughs as Baekhyun continues to stare at her in horror. The audacity of implying that he is in love with the crown prince who does nothing but throw insults at him. He’s not that idiotic to be falling for someone so disrespectful to him.

 

“I’m not looking for love,” he sighs as he leans against the wall, gazing up to the ceiling, allowing his thoughts to run wild. It’s time for him to stop overthinking about possibilities and consequences. “I am looking for a soulmate.”

 

“Well, you’ve found him, haven’t you?” his mother grins before she walks to their small closet, hands fumbling for something deep in the upper drawers. “There is nothing to worry about, Baekhyun. You are not going to be in danger just because you are the crown prince’s soulmate.”

 

“How are you so sure about that?” he challenges, rolling his eyes as he reminisces the prince’s words. “The prince himself was the one who implied that I might be thrown out of this palace if anyone knows that we are soulmates.”

 

_“If anyone ever finds out about this, I will make sure that you will never return to this palace.”_

 

Baekhyun snorts. 

 

Now that his mother knows, there is still a possibility that the prince might get rid of him, but at least he has his mother on his side. It can’t be that bad now, can it? 

 

“The crown prince and you are absolutely underestimating the fact that you two are soulmates,” his mother chuckles, pulling her old sewing kit from under their bed. She tosses a small box full of unwanted fabrics next to the sewing kit placed on the bed before she takes his arm, folding his sleeves up to his elbows. 

 

He puffs his cheeks, stubbornly grumbling as he tries to pull his hand away. She keeps both his arms secured on her lap as she takes a piece of white cloth, wrapping it around his mark, covering the symbol completely. 

 

“If your mark is colored red, his mark will be red too,” she says. “If it is gold, then his will be gold too, depending on how you two are feeling about yourselves, about each other. This applies to all pairs of soulmates – platonic, romantic, soulmates who have never even seen each other. It is just how it works. It’s truly beautiful, I’ll say.” 

 

“I know all about that,” he pretends to yawn. “Is that all?”

 

Despite his snarky reply, his mother doesn’t smack his head or pull on one of his ears like she always does when he’s purposely being obnoxious. She only laughs as she smoothens the surface of the cloth on his wrist. 

 

“The prince or anyone else will never hurt you,” she hums knowingly, “because when you feel pain, he will feel it too. It is the same for you. If he is hurt, you will feel hurt too. Even if you two are too far away from each other, your marks will hurt.”

 

“That doesn’t sound like it makes any sense,” Baekhyun stares at his mother incredulously. “How is that even possible?”

 

“It’s very red now,” she refers to the needle-shaped mark. “It stings a bit, does it not?”

 

Baekhyun gulps, nodding. His mother tugs onto his sleeves and covers the cloth, pointing at the mark underneath the layers of cloth, its light now barely visible unless seen up close. 

 

“Let’s go, then.” She grins, pulling him up and pushes him towards the door. “We don’t want the first prince to be in pain while he’s dancing, do we?”

 

Baekhyun hesitates, his hand hovering above the doorknob. If Chanyeol ever sees him, mid-waltzing, spies him in the crowd, he will surely not speak to Baekhyun again. But Baekhyun doesn’t want to attend the ceremony because of the prince. He deserves to celebrate, dance, eat, laugh and chat just much as the others do. 

 

“Screw the prince,” Baekhyun decides. “I’m starving and I want to dance.”

 

His mother laughs, surprised, before she tugs his arm behind his back, giving him a smile. “I won’t tell anyone that you are the crown prince’s soulmate. Don’t you worry about it, sweetheart.” 

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

Even if the crown prince feels Baekhyun’s presence close to him, the prince does not acknowledge him. 

 

And Baekhyun is thankful for that. He’s able to stroll around the palace, greeting the other princes and princesses, emperors and empresses, all dressed wonderfully for the big ceremony. He sees Jongin standing at the corner of the ballroom, occasionally tapping his feet to the beat of the music. The bodyguard looks like he _really_ wants to join the others and participate in the ballroom dance. It makes Baekhyun chuckle. 

 

He approaches the guard with a sly grin, to which the guard scowls at, somehow already guessing that Baekhyun is here to either annoy him or force him to dance despite his duty as a guard. 

 

“Good evening, Jongin.” The royal tailor greets, nudging the groaning guard with his elbow. “It’s a very good evening. Just an absolutely delightful evening, suitable for a nice dance, don’t you think?”

 

“I’m not going to dance with you, Baekhyun.” Jongin stops the tailor from talking before the tailor can take the chance to coax Jongin into dancing with him. “Go and bother someone else. Go on now.”

 

Baekhyun pouts. “I have no one to dance with.”

 

The bodyguard sighs before he begins to speak. “Then go and find someone—”

 

“Well, I’m right here, aren’t I?” a familiar voice steals his attention as someone spins Baekhyun around, turning away from the startled bodyguard. “Don’t you want to dance with me, beloved royal tailor?”

 

Baekhyun takes a long look at the second prince who tilts his head, pulling a charming grin. He smiles back, taking the young prince’s hand. “My, my, how did you get so handsome, Your Highness?”

 

“I’m always handsome,” Sehun boasts, but his classic smile is a little dimmer tonight, unlike his usual cheerful simper. He doesn’t stare at Baekhyun too long, only focuses on taking Baekhyun’s hand in his and brings him to his side. “Do you mind if I borrow him for a while, Jongin?”

 

“Of course not, Your Highness.” The guard replies. “Please enjoy the rest of your night.” 

 

Baekhyun gives Jongin a wave before the guard sticks his tongue out playfully, earning a fit of laughter from the tailor. 

 

“It’s about time for you to finally show up,” Sehun says, leading him to the center of the ballroom, where the members of the royal families have come to dance. The second prince places both his hands on Baekhyun’s waist, smooth and natural, unlike the stiff crown prince. “Where have you been?”

 

Speaking of the first prince, Baekhyun can see him just from his peripheral vision, where the crown prince is spinning a giggling princess while they dance. Strangely, it’s not Joohyun. Baekhyun can’t seem to find the heiress of the Kingdom of Fall no matter how many times his eyes roam around the ballroom. 

 

“I was contemplating whether if I should attend the ceremony or just stay in my room.” Baekhyun replies, pressing his palms on the prince’s shoulders. “After all, this ceremony is for the prince and princesses only.”

 

“That’s not true,” Sehun harrumphs. “This ceremony is for everyone.” 

 

“I suppose so, but there is _someone_ here who doesn’t want my presence to be known.” Baekhyun says, narrowing his eyes. “You know how much your older brother dislikes me. It’s _his_ big day, of course he doesn’t want me lurking around the ballroom.”

 

Sehun pauses, before he stops dancing completely, standing still in the middle of the ballroom as he releases his grip from Baekhyun’s waist. He glances at the crown prince who is dancing with another princess now with a permanent frown on his face. Baekhyun comes to a realization that none of the princes look happy on such a cheerful night. 

 

“Are you sure he doesn’t want you here just because he dislikes you and not because of one other reason?” Sehun asks, bitterness seeping out with his cracking voice. “Is it not because he is your soulmate?”

 

Baekhyun stiffens. The second prince must have seen his older brother’s mark earlier that day. Everyone must have seen the crown prince’s mark by now, and it is Baekhyun who is the one who should not let anyone see his mark. He made a mistake when he showed his mark to the second prince all those nights ago. 

 

“Sehun…” he whispers. “I’m sorry.”

 

“His mark has been red all day long,” Sehun states. “But I can’t seem to see yours, not with you trying so hard to hide it.”

 

The curious people around them are whispering into each other’s ears now as they stare at the second prince, wondering who the other man is, standing so close to the prince. The crown prince is no longer the center of attention now, but he has yet to realize that, neither did the second prince nor did the royal tailor. 

 

“I must not let anyone know about my mark.” Baekhyun replies, bringing his hands closer to his chest. “Your Highness, please don’t ever tell anyone about this.”

 

Sehun chuckles lightly. “I won’t. Even if I had to, I won’t tell anyone. It won’t do me any good either.”

 

“What do you mean by that?” Baekhyun asks. 

 

Sehun shakes his head, taking Baekhyun’s hands again, guiding him to a slow dance once more, resting his chin on top of Baekhyun’s head. “Nothing.”

 

“Tell me, please,” he pleads. 

 

The second prince sighs, defeated. “My older brother is the crown prince. He is bound to be king sooner or later.” 

 

“Oh, don’t remind me about him being king in the future.” Baekhyun dramatically gasps, pressing the back of his hand on his forehead. “Lord knows how that airhead will lead the kingdom. Things will go haywire!”

 

He manages to pull a short laugh from the second prince before the prince looks sadder, pulling him closer, as if he’s not willing to let go. 

 

“A king must marry his own soulmate,” Sehun reveals, smiling sadly. “No one else, Baekhyun.”

 

Baekhyun completely freezes. The soothing music turns into a deafening buzz in his ears, ringing and ringing until everything else can’t be heard, not even the sound of his own heartbeat racing. His eyes widen as he registers the words in his head, and no matter how many times he tries to think it through, it still does not make any sense. 

 

“No…” Baekhyun backs away slowly, pulling away from the second prince who tries to grasp him back into his arms. “That can’t be true.”

 

He glances at the crown prince who finally notices his presence, this time with no princess dancing next to him. Chanyeol frowns when he sees Baekhyun standing right in the middle of the ballroom. The royal tailor tries to walk away before anything else can happen, something that can possibly ruin the entire night, but he can’t seem to move, frozen in his spot as he looks at both of the princes. 

 

“Baekhyun,” the second prince murmurs. “Baekhyun, look at me. No one will know about this, don’t worry. Nothing is going to happen—”

 

“—what are you doing here?” the crown prince hisses as he yanks on Baekhyun’s arm, hurriedly pulling on him and dragging him away. “I told you that you are not supposed to be here!”

 

“Baekhyun!” Sehun shouts for him, silencing the entire ballroom. “Brother, where are you taking him?!”

 

The crown prince ignores his younger brother’s yells as he continues to pull Baekhyun away, out of the ballroom, out of the entire palace. Baekhyun doesn’t shout at him or tell him to stop. He feels too suffocated to stay in that ballroom any longer, so he allows the crown prince to lead him outside, where the prince finally lets him go once they stop right in front of the flower garden.

 

“Why are you so stubborn? I specifically told you that you can’t attend the ceremony!” Chanyeol spits, pulling at his own hair in frustration. “You never listen! What if someone sees your wrist?!”

 

“I…” Baekhyun whispers, speechless. “Sorry.”

 

“Oh, you’re sorry!” the prince responds sarcastically, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat. “Look how poorly dressed you are. If anyone ever finds out that _this_ —” he points at Baekhyun’s disheveled state. “—is my soulmate, the entire kingdom will laugh at me!”

 

Baekhyun stares at his own clothing. Poorly dressed?

 

“For the record, I _made_ that,” Baekhyun stops the prince mid-talking, pointing to the prince’s grand suit. “But go on.”

 

Chanyeol glares at him, chest heaving heavily. “This is not the time for jokes, Baekhyun.”

 

“No one saw my mark, I covered it completely. See?” Baekhyun stretches his arm out, shoving his entire hand to the prince’s face. “No one knows about our marks except for Sehun.” 

 

 _And my mother,_ Baekhyun thinks, but he would never let the prince know about that. Who knows what he would do if he finds out that Baekhyun’s mother has known all along? 

 

 “ _Sehun_ knows that we are soulmates?!” The crown prince exclaims in disbelief, so loud that it makes Baekhyun cringe.

 

“Jesus, Your Highness, can’t you be louder?” He grunts. “I don’t think the Winter Kingdom heard you!”

 

“How did Sehun find out about this?” Chanyeol questions, shaking him by his shoulders. “Did you tell him?”

 

“He’s already seen my mark before, on my birthday. How would I know that you’d end up being my soulmate?” Baekhyun crosses his arms. 

 

“Baekhyun, he’s going to tell the king about this.” Chanyeol panics, pacing around as he tries to think. “This is all your fault!”

 

“How is this _my_ fault?!” Baekhyun shouts back, jabbing his finger on the crown prince’s chest. “I didn’t want this to happen either! You think I _want_ to have you as my soulmate?! You are… You are gigantic and mean! No one wants you as their soulmate!”

 

“Don’t speak to me that way,” Chanyeol warns. “I am not gigantic and mean. You are gigantic and mean.”

 

Baekhyun sighs, holding his head in his hands. God, they are like two toddlers arguing. “Alright. I apologize, Your Highness, but this is not my fault at all.”

 

The crown prince groans in defeat, squatting down on the ground, unable to face the royal tailor. “If Sehun ever tells the king about this, do you know what might happen, Baekhyun…?”

 

“I… might have to marry you?” Baekhyun tries to guess, laughing nervously. 

 

The crown prince raises his head to glare at him. “Yes.” 

 

“Disaster,” Baekhyun mutters to himself. “Can’t you just tell the king that you are dating Princess Joohyun? She is a princess after all, it must be impossible for the king to disapprove of your relationship with her.”

 

“He already did,” the prince mumbles. “He saw her mark. He has seen all the other princes and princesses’ respective marks and none of them were the same as mine.” 

 

“Obviously,” Baekhyun chuckles, pointing at his own wrist. “Ta-da.”

 

The crown prince glares at him again, this time he kicks at Baekhyun’s foot. “This is _not_ funny.”

 

“Okay. Sorry.” Baekhyun replies sheepishly.

 

“God, I won’t mind marrying a prince if I have to, but a servant?” Chanyeol grunts. “Out of all people, a servant? Really?”

 

“I am not a servant,” Baekhyun harrumphs, clenching his fist. “If you say that again, I am going to stay as far as I can and the mark is going to hurt you.”

 

“It will hurt you too,” Chanyeol mutters, rolling his eyes.

 

Baekhyun sighs before he takes a seat on the ground too, falling next to the crown prince with a thud. The prince scoots further from him, grimacing. 

 

“Sehun is not going to say anything about our marks,” Baekhyun says. “He won’t tell anyone. Even if he does, the last person he will confide to is the king.” 

 

“How are you so sure?” 

 

“Like you said, if the king ever finds out, we will have to get married.” The royal tailor replies. 

 

Chanyeol raises his eyebrow. “And?”

 

“Sehun is in love with me,” Baekhyun admits. “The last thing he wants is for me to marry you.”

 

It’s too obvious not to notice. The second prince’s longing gazes, his words and his promises. Baekhyun has no feelings towards the second prince whatsoever, but he cares for Sehun. He would never do anything to hurt the boy’s feelings. He was devastated enough to see Sehun’s disappointed look when he found out that Baekhyun isn’t his soulmate. Marrying the second prince’s older brother would hurt him even more, and Baekhyun doesn’t want that to happen.

 

Chanyeol gasps, horrified. “Are you… dating my younger brother?”

 

“What?” Baekhyun blinks. 

 

“Baekhyun, he is fifteen!” the crown prince exclaims, bewildered.

 

“I’m not dating the second prince!” Baekhyun yells. “Lord, no! It’s not like that! He’s like a younger brother to me.”

 

The prince seems a little bit more relaxed than before, falling into a realization that _no,_ the royal tailor is _not_ dating the second prince. The two soulmates turn quiet again once their arguments have gotten out of the way, and somehow, they end up in a comfortable silence. 

 

“What did the princess say when she saw your mark?” he asks. 

 

“She didn’t say anything,” the prince says, tearing at the grass with his fist. “She knew that we aren’t soulmates. Joohyun already knows who her soulmate is. She and I just hoped that the king would at least consider approving of our relationship.”

 

“Do you…” Baekhyun swallows. “Do you know who her soulmate is?”

 

The crown prince stares ahead, nodding. “Yes, I do.”

 

“Woah, who is it?” Baekhyun’s eyes glimmer with curiosity. “Do I know them? Him? Her?”

 

The crown prince frowns, pushing Baekhyun’s head away. “You are getting too close. Stay away from me, servant.”

 

“Come on! Tell me, tell me,” Baekhyun tugs onto the prince’s suit. “Who is it?”

 

The princess’ mark shone jade green when he first saw it. ‘ _It represents unrequited love,_ ’ his mother had said. He wonders who is the person who is insane enough not to reciprocate the princess’ feelings – or is the princess the one who is not reciprocating her soulmate’s feelings? 

 

“Sir Kim’s son,” the crown prince finally reveals. “Kim Junmyeon.”

 

Baekhyun splutters, almost choking. “W-What?!”

 

“That man. He is my girlfriend’s soulmate.” Chanyeol says. “I’m surprised you don’t know about that. I thought you are good friends with the Kims.”

 

“I am!” Baekhyun exclaims. He feels slightly betrayed that he never knew about Junmyeon’s soulmate. He doesn’t even remember seeing Junmyeon’s mark. “I’m practically Sir Kim’s other son… I wonder why Junmyeon never told me that his soulmate is a princess.”

 

“It must be because he knows that no one can ever trust you with secrets, knowing that you will end up telling the entire kingdom.” Chanyeol says.

 

“That’s not completely true. I never told anyone that you are afraid of goats.” Baekhyun calmly retorts. 

 

The crown prince turns to look at him with widened eyes, perhaps a little surprised that Baekhyun still remembers. He remembers everything. 

 

“I am not afraid of goats,” Chanyeol replies, baffled. “I was simply irked because they wouldn’t leave me alone.” 

 

“Whatever you say,” Baekhyun grins as he stands up, wiping the grass and dirt off his back. “Sunflower prince.”

 

He leaves the crown prince still sitting on the ground, dazedly staring back at him. Baekhyun gives him a short salute, excusing himself with a bitter smile. 

 

“You know,” he says aloud as he walks away. He doesn’t need to turn around to know that the prince is still listening to him. “We would’ve still been good friends up until now if you weren’t so stubborn, Your Highness.”  

 

He doesn’t stay to listen to what the prince has to say. That’s enough reminiscing for today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

“I wasn’t stubborn,” Chanyeol whispers to himself as he watches his old friend walking away. 

 

Perhaps Baekhyun doesn’t notice that their marks are shining a sullen violet. 

 

 _I wasn’t stubborn,_ he thinks. _You left me._

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a few months go by, Baekhyun refrains himself from talking to both the crown prince and the second prince. He still doesn’t know if he and the crown prince are on good terms – they seem far from being friends, but at least the prince doesn’t mind when Baekhyun speaks rather informally with him. His mark doesn’t hurt unless the prince goes too far, like that one time the prince visited the Kingdom of Fall for almost two weeks without the king’s permission. 

 

He considers on scolding the prince for doing so – carelessly leaving the kingdom without telling anyone, sometimes resulting in Baekhyun randomly waking up in the middle of the night with his wrist in pain – but at least he knows that the prince is experiencing the same thing too. He deserves it that much. 

 

When the prince went away again, and he still doesn’t return after a few more weeks, his mark shines red once again, this time with a much more immense jab of pain. He curses the prince for inflicting such pain to the both of them for his selfish needs. The king is beyond furious as well; realizing that the prince isn’t returning any time soon, he sent out his knights to search for the missing prince. Baekhyun doesn’t have the heart to tell the king that the crown prince escaped to the Kingdom of Fall where the princess that he loves awaits him. 

 

This time, in the middle of the night, somewhere in between dusk and dawn, Baekhyun sneaks out of his room to head to the kitchen, his hunger taking over him again. He fishes out a few pieces of biscuits from the jar before he walks up to the tower, dragging his thick blanket with him. He yawns as he makes his way up the stairs, blinking multiple times until his eyes completely widens at the sight of the crown prince standing right in front of him. 

 

“What the—” Baekhyun flinches, startled. “Your Highness!”

 

“Shh!” Chanyeol hisses, jabbing his index finger to Baekhyun’s mouth. “Be quiet! I don’t want any of the guards to know that I am here—ouch!”

 

Baekhyun doesn’t want to let the prince say another word. With all of his pent-up anger, he pulls on the crown prince’s ear, twisting it. Ignoring the prince’s pained cries, Baekhyun drags him by his ear until his back hits the railing. “Where on earth have you been?”

 

“That hurts! That hurts!” Chanyeol winces. “My wrist hurts too! Stop it!”

 

“Are you going to wait until our marks _bleed_? Is that it?” Baekhyun questions, finally letting go of the prince’s reddening ear. 

 

Chanyeol rubs his ears with his palms, glaring at the royal tailor. “How dare you treat your prince with such disrespectful manners!”

 

“I don’t care!” Baekhyun exclaims, exasperated. “I had to wake up at night trying to tolerate with prickling, needle-like jabs on my wrist! All night long, because of _you!_ ”

 

“It doesn’t hurt _that_ much,” Chanyeol grumbles. “I was visiting Joohyun. She can’t come here too frequently now, not when the king doesn’t want me to be with her.”

 

“How did you even go to the Kingdom of Fall?” Baekhyun asks incredulously. “Do you have a driver’s liscense or something?”

 

“Jongin took me there,” he shrugs. 

 

“ _Jongin?_ ”

 

“Yes,” the prince nods, “I offered him a large amount of money and supplies for his family, and in return, he brought me to the Kingdom of Fall.”

 

“That’s called bribery,” Baekhyun deadpans, judging him. “You are going to be in such a big trouble. The king is really angry when he found out that you left. He even sent out his guards to search for you.”

 

“Oh no…” the prince slaps his own face, groaning. “I’m going to die.” 

 

“Yeah,” Baekhyun pats the prince on his back sympathetically. “You are.”

 

Chanyeol glares at him with watery eyes, pushing him away. “You’re not helping.”

 

“I don’t intend on helping you. I just don’t want my wrist to hurt without any explanations,” he rolls his eyes, annoyed at the prince’s behavior. “If you do this again, I’m going to elope with another servant and let you go through the same thing.”

 

“Like I said before, if I get hurt, you’ll get hurt too,” Chanyeol retorts, tugging on Baekhyun’s thick blanket and drapes it on his own shoulders. “When I was away, my mark hurt too. I had to explain to Joohyun that it was starting to hurt because I don’t know who and where my soulmate is.”

 

Baekhyun takes a last bite of his biscuit as he looks at the prince, unamused. “Why not just tell her that you know who your soulmate is?”

 

“Are you out of your mind?” 

 

“I mean, it’s not like she will tell anybody in our kingdom about it. It’s only fair, since you know who her soulmate is.” Baekhyun tries to reason with the prince. “Besides, she needs to know that we are not even close to being platonic soulmates. We hate each other.” 

 

The crown prince keeps mum for a while, as if he’s taking Baekhyun’s words into consideration. “I don’t even know why I listen to you sometimes.”

 

“Because I am always the one who makes sense,” Baekhyun replies matter-of-factly. “Look, we need to stop making each other angry. It’s only going to hurt the both of us.”

 

“God, it doesn’t even hurt that severely, servant boy.” Chanyeol groans. “Are you _that_ weak?”

 

“It’s only going to get worse, trust me.” He sighs, tracing his finger on the cloth covering his mark. “It’s not that I don’t want you to be with your girlfriend – I don’t care about that. You can do whatever you want, but if you keep hating me like this and we aren’t on good terms with each other, things are going to get worse.”

 

“Whatever,” Chanyeol says, tossing the blanket back on Baekhyun’s lap. “I’m going to go to sleep. The king is going to have my head tomorrow, so I might as well enjoy sleeping now.”

 

“Actually, I told him that you went away to buy sewing supplies for me,” Baekhyun says, stopping the prince from walking away. “He’s not angry anymore. I was convincing enough.”

 

“What…?”

 

“He kept on demanding to be updated on your whereabouts, but no one knew where you were except for, well, _me_ , so I had no choice but to lie to him.” Baekhyun fiddles with his fingers. He doesn’t have the courage to look at the prince as he continues. “I told him that you went to the Kingdom of Fall to buy supplies that can’t be found anywhere near our kingdom.”

 

Chanyeol stares at him incredulously. “ _And he believed you?_ ”

 

“Surprisingly, yes.” Baekhyun shrugs. “He believed me when I told him that it would take you weeks to find the supplies and he also believed me when I told him that we are apparently… friends, now.”

 

“You _what_?!” Chanyeol shrieks. “He thinks you and I are friends?”

 

“It isn’t that difficult to believe, Your Highness, we used to be friends before,” Baekhyun yawns. He’d rather go back to sleep than explaining such simple matters to a prince with a thick head. 

 

“So… I am not in trouble?” the prince asks, voice quiet. “Really?”

 

Baekhyun nods. “But he expects to see you during breakfast tomorrow.”

 

“Oh…” the prince mumbles. “Alright, then. That was easier than I thought it would be.”

 

“And you also owe me a lifetime supply of raspberry scones for saving your life and not getting you killed.” Baekhyun declares, huffing. “If the king ever finds out that I lied to him, the both of us are going to get killed.”

 

Chanyeol scoffs. “Fine.”

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

Of course, as a result of convincing the king that Chanyeol and him are friends now, the king will only want to see them together more frequently. He demands for Baekhyun’s presence during breakfast almost every day, but the king doesn’t strike a decent conversation with his first son. 

 

The king laughs along his wife as they reminisce old memories with the princes and the kingdom, but Baekhyun can only focus on the way the crown prince remains frowning. Sehun is in the middle of describing his first experience of fighting with an actual sword, hands flailing around, keeping the king and queen entertained with his stories, but Baekhyun notices that the crown prince is awfully quiet. 

 

“My first so-called battle was with one of father’s knights, and guess what? I won!” Sehun smirks, slamming his fist on the table. “The knight ended up with a black-eye, and I am at least two decades younger than him? Can you believe that, father?”

 

“Incredible!” the king cheers, laughing as he ruffles the second prince’s hair. “That’s my boy!”

 

“The knight was most probably going soft on you because he knows that you are a prince,” the crown prince deadpans, using a fork to poke at his eggs with a bored expression. “Father would have killed the knight if he ever lays a hand on you.” 

 

Sehun scowls, pointing to his brother with his spoon. “You wouldn’t know, you’ve never even been in a fight before.”

 

“Getting into physical fights is a waste of time,” Chanyeol snarls, sipping on his tea, chuckling into his cup when he sees Sehun seething towards his way. 

 

“That is because you _can’t_ fight, brother,” the second prince provokes, snorting. “You can’t even dance. Father can’t possibly trust you with a sword.” 

 

“That is quite true,” the king interrupts. The second prince takes a quick look at the ashamed crown prince before he erupts in a fit of loud laughter, holding onto his stomach as he barks out a cackle. 

 

Baekhyun sits quietly as they laugh, while the queen tells them to stop, but eventually she joins them, giggling behind her palm. The royal tailor is perplexed as he observes their odd behavior; how they laugh and laugh about the crown prince, but Chanyeol is nowhere near smiling. The prince has his head low as he eats, crimson cheeks too obvious to be hidden. 

 

Were they always like this towards the crown prince? Despite the numerous times he has joined them for an early breakfast, he doesn’t notice that the prince is awfully quiet while the rest of them laugh, or perhaps, Baekhyun never really paid attention to the prince up until now. 

 

“Actually,” Baekhyun starts, grabbing their attention. He grins enthusiastically towards the king. “The crown prince is very good at dancing.” 

 

Chanyeol’s started eyes meet his, mouth gaped as Baekhyun continues.

 

“Just before the ceremony, Prince Chanyeol and I have danced quite a few times. I must say that he is very skilled.” Baekhyun defends, ignoring the crown prince’s grimace.

 

The king seems surprised, grabbing a napkin from the table to wipe his mouth, glancing back and forth at the crown prince and the royal tailor. Sehun drops his glass of orange juice, looking at him in disbelief, as if Baekhyun is lying. 

 

“You two must have reconciled,” the queen chimes in, her lips quirking upwards, delighted. “I remember when you and Chanyeol were very attached to each other. I’m so glad to see you both as friends once again. Don’t you think so, darling?” she addresses the king.

 

“Absolutely,” the king notes. “When did you two begin to talk to each other again? As far as I remember, you didn’t even want Baekhyun to sit in the same room as us, Chanyeol.”

 

“Yes, brother,” Sehun glowers. “When did _that_ happen?”

 

The crown prince doesn’t say a word. He simply dabs the corner of his mouth with his napkin before he stands, eyeing the royal tailor with a frown. 

 

“I’m done eating,” he states, leaving his plate full before he excuses himself, strolling away, leaving his whole family to watch with confusion. 

 

“Please excuse me,” Baekhyun says, chuckling nervously before he follows the crown prince on his way out. Quietly, he watches as the prince walks to the flower garden, sighing to himself before he takes a seat on the ground, uncaring of his dirtied clothes. 

 

“There’s a picnic mat right there,” Baekhyun speaks up, startling the prince. 

 

“Leave me alone.” Chanyeol snaps. 

 

The tailor chuckles, grabbing the folded picnic mat by the small table before he covers the grass with it, just next to where the prince is sitting. He removes his shoes and sits on the mat, facing the stubborn prince. 

 

“Here,” he beckons, patting the space beside him. “I can’t let a prince sit on the ground like that.”

 

The prince shifts, dragging his bum on the ground as he pouts, bringing himself closer to the tailor as he makes himself comfortable on the mat. Baekhyun beams with pleasure, glad that at least the prince is actually listening to him. It’s safe to say that they’re making slow progress.

 

“We’re friends, right?” he asks, bringing his knees nearer to his chest before he rests his head on his knees, tilting his head to look at the prince. 

 

Chanyeol gives him a stiff nod, refusing to meet his gaze. “I suppose so.”

 

“Why did you walk out on your family like that?” 

 

The prince gives him a strange look. “Why did you say that I am a good dancer?”

 

“It’s the truth,” Baekhyun teases. “Is it not?”

 

The crown prince doesn’t answer him. 

 

“Have they always been making fun of you like that?” Baekhyun questions gently, careful of his words. After all, he’s seen the way the prince reacted when the king and the second prince laughed at him. 

 

“That is none of your business.” Chanyeol ticks off.

 

Baekhyun takes a longer look at the prince who is still stubbornly frowning, although the anger and frustration that were sunken in his eyes and wedged in between the deep furrows of his eyebrows have already dissipated. Baekhyun smiles silently, thankful to finally be on good terms with his own soulmate. 

 

Sitting side to side on the picnic mat laid on the freshly trimmed grass of the queen’s favorite flower garden, so close that their shoulders are almost touching. He can see the small moles on the prince’s pudgy cheek, arranged like constellation and Baekhyun almost reaches out to touch them. 

 

“Stop staring at me,” Chanyeol grumbles, still looking ahead. He’s staring at the bushes of red roses remotely as if they are fascinating, but Baekhyun knows that the prince is just not used to this kind of interaction between a person from a royal family and a mere boy who was once a servant.

 

He continues to stare, of course. They both know just how much Baekhyun likes to contradict the crown prince’s words and commands. Baekhyun tries not to grin wide even though he really wants to, so he settles on putting a teasing smile on his face as he pokes the prince’s nose. 

 

“I just want to take a look at my new friend.” Baekhyun quips, with his eyes disappearing behind his eyelids as he laughs.

 

Chanyeol clamps his palm over his nose, glaring at the royal tailor. “Don’t simply assume that you can disrespect me just because I am your soulmate.”

 

Their respective needle-shaped marks inked on their wrists glimmer peach under the direct sunlight and they both pause to stare. It shines so bright that light pierces through the white cloth that Baekhyun hid it under. It sends a surge of odd joy down their spines and Baekhyun truly has to try really hard not to smile. At least it’s not painful anymore. It’s a hideous mark, but the more he examines it, the prettier it becomes. 

 

“It’s means we are happy,” Baekhyun says when Chanyeol is still quiet, possibly wondering what the color meant. “Well, _I’m_ happy. I’m not so sure about you. Are you happy right now, Your Highness?”

 

Chanyeol looks startled when Baekhyun questioned him. He gives the mark on his wrist a slap before he shoves his hands into the pockets of his pants, shrugging. 

 

“I’m just happy that it doesn’t hurt that much anymore.” 

 

Baekhyun smiles knowingly. “Then you _are_ happy.”

 

Sweat travels down the prince’s hairline to his cheek and he catches it with his sleeves before he stands up, hasty and eager to distance himself from the surprisingly relaxed tailor who’s still sitting on the mat, smiling at him from below. Chanyeol clears his throat, wiping some dirt off his lap and backside.

 

“So that’s settled. We are… friends.” He visibly cringes at the word. “I better get going, I don’t want the other servants to think that they’re allowed to interact with me the way you always do.”

 

“Goodbye, my prince,” Baekhyun waves his hands, grinning. The prince rolls his eyes at this, but Baekhyun can tell that he isn’t serious. Chanyeol gives him a stiff wave of a hand before he walks away, leaving Baekhyun on the picnic mat with his gaze trailing after the stone-cold prince. 

 

Baekhyun can feel his mark pulsing, still bright in peach, thumping fast like heartbeat. It confuses him for a while – because he’s knows that he is currently calm. He brings his hand to his chest, feeling the rhythmic beating of his heart, slow and soothing, almost resembling the ticking of a clock. Within seconds, the palpitation decreases bit by bit as the prince walks out of Baekhyun’s sight, the man’s movement almost in sync with the beatings of his heart. 

 

“Your Highness!” Baekhyun exclaims as loud as he can. “Wait!”

 

The crown prince spins around swiftly with widened, shocked eyes, glaring to his left and his right in a panicked manner. When he sees that the coast is clear, he races back to the royal tailor, anger and shame evident on his face. 

 

Somehow, in a perplexing way, Baekhyun notices that the closer the prince gets, the faster his heart beats. He has no feelings whatsoever towards this particularly grumpy man, he is sure of it, but that doesn’t stop his heart from thumping erratically. 

 

Chanyeol gives him a smack on his arm. “How many times do I have to tell you, stop addressing me in that manner!” 

 

“Should I stop calling you ‘Your Highness’, then?” Baekhyun feigns cluelessness, avoiding the prince’s fuming expression. “Is that what you were trying to say, Chanyeol?”

 

“How dare you!” the prince gasps, pointing an accusing finger towards his way. It’s rather an immature thing to do, really. “When I said stop addressing me that way, I meant stop shouting for me! It is beyond inappropriate and if anyone sees us, they will think I’ve softened up for you servants!” 

 

“You were too far away, of course I would have to yell to catch your attention.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes, tapping his foot on the ground as he witnesses the crown prince having his little royal tantrum. “I have a reason why I called for you.”

 

“You have three seconds to speak.” The prince suddenly replies. “One, two…”

 

“A date!” Baekhyun says, before he covers his mouth when he realizes what he just said. “I would like to invite you on a date with me. But not romantically! I would like to invite you on date… as friends.”

 

Chanyeol stares at him for the longest time with a confused frown, seeming a bit surprised from the boy’s direct answer. 

 

Baekhyun gives the prince a questioning look. “Your Highness?”

 

“No,” the prince answers with his lips pursed. “I am beginning to think that you consider us as true friends. We are not. I am your prince, you are the royal tailor, and unfortunately, we are soulmates. We agreed to not argue anymore since the marks were hurting the both of us when we were apart, and based on what I remember from our agreement, we never agreed to being actual friends that go on dates.”

 

“It’ll be fun, I promise.” Baekhyun chortles, holding out his pinky finger towards the prince. “There will be a new-year festival tonight in the city, not too far from the palace.”

 

“I am not interested,” the prince shakes his head, spinning around to walk away again.

 

“Oh, alright,” Baekhyun slumps, disappointed. “I’ll just ask the second prince if he is interested, then…”

 

The crown prince stops, stepping back a pace. Baekhyun tries to stifle his smile as the prince hesitates, turning around to face him again.

 

“When…” the prince clears his throat with his head held high, avoiding Baekhyun’s eyes. “When do you plan on going?”

 

“Right after dinner, perhaps?” Baekhyun quips. “I’ll wait for you here, by the flower garden. There is a small gate that will lead us to a shortcut to the city.” 

 

“Very well.” Chanyeol coughs. “You can’t tell anyone about this, understand?”

 

“Fully understood.” Baekhyun nods, grinning again.

 

“And…” the prince stammers, “Sehun can’t come with us.”

 

He smiles softly. “Okay. He won’t.”

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun ruffles his hair as he stares at his reflection in the mirror, tugging onto the brown locks. His mother has already left the room after the queen invited them for dinner, but Baekhyun simply refused. He has been waiting too long to attend the annual festival in the city, he’s pretty sure that there will be more authentic food at the festival that he can’t wait to try. Besides, if he joined the king and queen for dinner again, he would have to face the crown prince, knowing that they would later sneak out of the palace. 

 

“That’d be awkward,” he snorts to himself, patting his cheek. 

 

Just as he covers his soulmate mark with the usual cloth that his mother gave him, a few sudden knocks on the door startles him. Baekhyun furrows his brows, confused as to why his mother would knock on the door. Usually, she would barge in without any words. But then again, he doubts that it’s her – she went for dinner with the queen, after all. His mother never stops talking when she’s with her good friend. 

 

“Who is it?” Baekhyun asks out loud, slightly opening the door to take a peek outside the room.

 

Baekhyun almost yells when he sees the crown prince staring down at him, impatiently tapping his foot on the floor. “Your Highness!”

 

“It’s me,” the prince states the obvious. “Shall we go?”

 

“But…” Baekhyun pauses. “Aren’t you supposed to have dinner first?”

 

“I don’t want to,” Chanyeol shrugs, putting his hands in his pockets as he waits for Baekhyun to step out of the room. “I think we should just go now.”

 

“A-Alright,” he stammers, eyes wide. “Let me just get my wallet.”

 

“I have money.” The prince rolls his eyes, taking him by his hand and leads him out of the palace through the backdoor. They crouch down when a guard walks by, unsuspecting, whistling as he walks past the prince and the tailor. 

 

“Aren’t you nervous and scared?” Baekhyun asks, heart beating too fast as he eyes his surroundings, paranoid. If one of the palace’s guards catch them sneaking out, wouldn’t they be in big trouble? 

 

“Of what?” Chanyeol snorts, still holding onto Baekhyun’s arm as they walk to the small gate by the flower garden. “I sneak out all the time with Joohyun, but we didn’t go to the city.” 

 

“Where did you two lovebirds go, then?” Baekhyun stares at their hands, swallowing when he sees the prince’s soulmate mark glimmering under the moonlight. The sky is getting darker now. 

 

“The lake nearby.” Chanyeol replies as they make their way out of the gate, walking side by side on the empty, small road. He turns, grasping on Baekhyun’s arm a little tighter. “Lead the way. I don’t know how to get to the city.”

 

Without words, Baekhyun pulls his hand away, cursing to himself when he feels the heat crawling up to his cheeks when the prince finally realize that they have been holding hands the entire time. He clears his throat awkwardly, pointing to the small tree-line pathway in front of them. “It’s that way.”

 

When he was younger, his mother brought him out to the city, especially on nights where he just didn’t want to be in the quiet palace. His mother let him discover the festive city, where the people welcomed them with warmth and excitement. He doesn’t remember everything that clearly now that he rarely visits the city, but Baekhyun wants to experience the happiness he felt all over again. 

 

“I used to go to the city all the time, when I was smaller.” Baekhyun says as they walk together. He wraps his arms around himself when the windy breeze brushes past him. 

 

“I know,” Chanyeol replies calmly. “I remember.”

 

Baekhyun turns to him, pleasantly surprised. “You do?”

 

“You were always visiting the city with your mother,” the prince comments, voice quiet as he stares down the road. “Sometimes I waited for you to come back, but I ended up falling asleep at the barn.”

 

His heart skips a beat at Chanyeol’s reply. It’s so strange to listen to the prince admitting things like these to him – stories about their childhood and how the prince doesn’t deny any of the old memories they had as friends like Baekhyun slightly expected he would. 

 

“You… waited for me?” Baekhyun questions, smiling softly. “Really?”

 

“No one else wanted to see my drawings,” Chanyeol explains, walking a little faster to avoid Baekhyun’s softened gaze. “But I wanted to show my drawings to someone. I ended up showing it to the gardener because he was the only one who wasn’t occupied with work at that time.”

 

“Ah, I remember your drawings,” he reminisces, chuckling. The crown prince really loved to draw, as far as he could remember. He always had his pencil colors with him, stuck in his pockets with his small drawing book. Baekhyun was always fascinated with the prince’s scribbled drawings, staring at them in awe every time the prince showed them to him with heavy pride. “Do you still draw?”

 

Chanyeol shakes his head, gently kicking the small stones and gravels on the bumpy road. “No,” he adds, “I stopped drawing after father said that it was a waste of time. He didn’t like it.”

 

“But your drawings were really great,” Baekhyun grins, giving the prince a thumb’s up. “Maybe you should start drawing again soon. I don’t think the king would mind, now that you’re all grown up.”

 

“Maybe,” Chanyeol looks at him, smiling faintly, but the presence of the colorful lights hanging above them distracts him from saying anything else about his drawings or the king. 

 

“We’re here,” Baekhyun remarks, introducing the prince to the small city. The booming music coming from the festival can already be heard from where they are standing, and they can see a few children chasing each other, waving their cones filled with cotton candy in the air. 

 

It’s exactly how Baekhyun remembered it, but this time, it’s even better.

 

He can see people dancing with each other, twirling and clapping to the music as the little children run to the food stalls, holding coins in their hands while they stand on their tip toes to attract the hawkers’ attention. As they walk further into the festival, Baekhyun sees a few men and women wearing masks strolling past them, giggling with each other. 

 

“Do you think people will recognize you as the kingdom’s crown prince?” Baekhyun asks, a little worried that some people will come running at him when they realize who Chanyeol is. “What if they know it’s you and they trample on you or something?”

 

“Should I put on a silly mask too?” Chanyeol grins brightly, pulling at Baekhyun’s heartstrings. He has never seen the prince so happy like this, let alone seeing the prince smiling _at_ him. It’s some kind of a miracle. 

 

The tailor jogs to the stall full of character masks, pulling a bear mask to put on, laughing when he looks at himself in the small mirror. “Look!”

 

“You look ridiculous, Baekhyun,” the prince jabbers, picking a bunny mask from where it was hanging. “Try putting this on.”

 

“This one?” Baekhyun puts on the bunny mask, tugging it down to fit his eyes and nose. “But you’re the prince. Why do I have to be the one who wears the mask?” 

 

Chanyeol blinks. “Oh.”

 

“Put the bear mask on, then.” Baekhyun hands him the brown mask. “Put it on.”

 

“But I’ll look silly,” the prince whines, tossing the mask back to him. 

 

“It’s better than getting trampled on by the public,” Baekhyun rolls his eyes, stepping on his tip toes to reach up to the prince’s head. He snaps the string behind the prince’s head, adjusting it so it fits just right on the prince’s face. Chanyeol glares at him behind the small holes of the bear’s eyes, pouting.

 

“See? Now you don’t look so much like the prince of the spring kingdom.” Baekhyun whispers secretly as he fixes the mask a little bit more. He doesn’t notice their marks flushing rosy scarlet, along with the crown prince’s cheeks. 

 

Baekhyun eyes the colorful array of masks, searching for something more interesting and quirky for himself. He’s not going to let the prince look foolish by himself wearing the mask. Besides, he doesn’t want to be the odd one out after seeing almost everyone wearing masks at the festival. 

 

“Look at this one!” Baekhyun blurts, reaching out to grab a yellow mask, completed with sunflowers surrounding the edges. “It’s a sunflower mask!”

 

“I like sunflowers,” the prince chimes in, leaning closer towards him to observe the mask. He traces his thumb on the sunflower design with wonder clouding his eyes, instantly brightening up like an excited child. 

 

Baekhyun tilts his head, flinching a little when he realizes how close they stand beside each other, especially when the prince is still obliviously eyeing the sunflower mask in Baekhyun’s hands. “Do you want to wear this one?”

 

Chanyeol nods, taking off his bear mask and tosses it back on the table, ignoring the seller’s irritated snarl.

 

“Okay,” Baekhyun smiles, facing the prince to help him put the sunflower mask on before the prince stops him.

 

“I can put it on myself.” Chanyeol says quietly, taking the mask out of his hand.

 

“Right.” Baekhyun sheepishly grins, embarrassed, leaving a huge gap between them. “Sorry.”

 

“It’s okay.” Chanyeol replies. “Which one do you want?”

 

Baekhyun observes the numerous masks again, his eyes lightening up when he sees a polar bear mask. “That one.”

 

The prince picks up the white mask, startling Baekhyun when he helps the tailor put on the mask, swiping a few strands of Baekhyun’s hair to the side to slide the mask down his head. Baekhyun stares at the prince with his mouth a little wide, his vision slightly blocked by the mask. 

 

“I can put it on myself,” Baekhyun mocks the prince, but a small grin is present on his face. 

 

The prince glances at him for a while before he pays the seller for the masks, immediately walking ahead of him after he’s done paying. Baekhyun picks up his pace as he tries to keep up with the prince, tugging on the boy’s sleeves. 

 

“Are you hungry?” he asks, looking around to search for a place to eat. If Baekhyun’s stomach is already grumbling, he’s sure that the prince is starving too. He _did_ skip dinner just to come to the festival. 

 

“A little,” Chanyeol admits. He seems visibly comfortable now that half of his face is hidden behind a mask, easily allowing him to brush past multiple people without them noticing who he really is. 

 

The festival only becomes more crowded as time flies, with more people coming and dancing under the moonlight to the jolly music. Baekhyun mutters apologies each time he accidentally bumps against someone, who either apologizes back or growls at him as if he intended to shove people around. The prince surprisingly doesn’t seem to mind though, only occasionally glaring at random people when he gets pushed by the crowd. 

 

They end up entering the noodle stall for some reason, after Chanyeol abruptly stopped walking at the sight of the noodle stall, making Baekhyun bump against the prince’s back. The hawker places two bowls of curry noodles on their small table, and Chanyeol doesn’t waste his time devouring his food, earning a laugh from the royal tailor.

 

“Be careful, you might choke,” Baekhyun reminds him as he snaps his wooden chopstick into perfect two. “It’s hot.” 

 

As they eat silently, too hungry to say any other words, a few children come running into the stall, surrounding the customers. Baekhyun frowns at the sight of the customers and the food stall’s hawker himself yelling at the children, shooing them off with his ladle. 

 

A little boy approaches their little table, handing out his dirtied palms, looking up at them with watery eyes and a smudge of dirt splattered across his nose. The boy sniffs, glancing at Baekhyun and the crown prince. Baekhyun curses himself for not bringing his wallet along, despite only having a small amount of money in it. He would have given them all to the children if he could. 

 

Chanyeol stops eating once he realizes that the little beggar’s pleading eyes are on him, with his small hands still stretched out. The prince wipes his mouth with the back of his hand before he fishes his wallet out of his pocket and hands the boy his money, gently pinching the boy’s cheek as he smiles. 

 

“Thank you,” the boy says, sniffling. 

 

The prince pats the boy on his back, nodding. “You’re very welcome.”

 

This isn’t the crown prince that Baekhyun knew. The one who frowns at him, calling him a servant boy, scolding his butlers and maids for one single mistake they make. The one who refused to be seen with him in the palace, refused to be acknowledge as his soulmate, refused to be his friend. 

 

Somehow, without the presence of the king, the queen, the second prince, everyone else who stayed in that palace, Baekhyun begins to discover that Chanyeol is more laid back. He expected the crown prince to be uncomfortable being surrounded with strangers, huge crowds and festivals held in public like this, but Chanyeol has smiled more frequently than he did when he was in the palace. It is as if his burdens as the crown prince temporarily disappears when he’s not with the king. 

 

“That was nice of you,” Baekhyun remarks, still quite surprised. “If I’m being honest, I expected you to tell the boy to go away instead of helping him like that.”

 

“I’m not as evil as you think I am,” Chanyeol chuckles. 

 

“I don’t think you’re evil.” He clarifies, pushing his empty bowl away once he’s finished eating. “I just didn’t expect you to do that because I’ve never seen you interact with people who are not of royal blood.”

 

“Joohyun and I help the poor all the time,” the prince reveals. “When I visited her in the Kingdom of Fall, we volunteered at a local orphanage. She changed my perspective on people who are less fortunate.” 

 

“That’s very nice.” Baekhyun compliments, his heart warming at the thought of the two lovers helping the poor. “The princess is a really nice, genuine person.” 

 

“She’s very humble,” Chanyeol replies, rubbing the back of his head. 

 

“But…” Baekhyun trails off. “What about the people of our kingdom?”

 

Chanyeol remains quiet for a while, as if recalling a memory, before he shakes his head. “Father wouldn’t let me go out of the palace that much, let alone volunteer to help the poor in their villages.” 

 

Baekhyun purses his lips, a little perplexed at the king’s odd attitude, especially when it comes to the crown prince. He pushes the thought to the back of his mind before he nods understandingly.

 

“Maybe he doesn’t want you to get hurt.” He concludes, trying to search for something positive to say at the very least.

 

“Possibly,” Chanyeol falters, his shoulders slumping down as the light in his eyes dim down. “Soon, if I ever become the king, I will try my best to help them all.” 

 

Even behind the mask, Baekhyun can see the determination lighting up the prince’s features. He nods agreeably, grinning at the crown prince. “I’m sure you will.”

 

It’s almost midnight by the time they leave the food stall with brighter smiles on their faces, laughing at street magicians and screeching children who are horrified by the confusing magic tricks. Eventually, Baekhyun successfully coaxes the crown prince to join the people who are dancing away, clapping their hands to the beat and spinning their partners around. 

 

He cackles loudly when he sees the way Chanyeol tries his best to dance, his long arms flailing here and there. Baekhyun takes the prince’s hand and guides him to a proper dance before the prince can embarrass himself even further now that people are glaring at them with their judgmental looks. Chanyeol laughs even more when Baekhyun carelessly spins him around, irking other people with his ballroom waltz-like movements despite the upbeat music. 

 

When the music changes to a slower one, Baekhyun leans closer, smiling up to the prince. “You have to admit, this is quite nice, isn’t it? Going out with your new friend to a lively festival like this?”

 

“I suppose so,” the corners of the prince’s lips quirks as he stares down at him, holding his waist. “I don’t have many friends. I don’t know what friends do to have fun.”

 

The prince grew up being conquered by his father and with a single younger brother, it isn’t such a surprise to know that Chanyeol doesn’t have many friends. Heck, Baekhyun used to be included in the crown prince’s small group of friends before things went downhill. It explains why Chanyeol is a little awkward when they agreed on being friends, not knowing how to react or how to act around him without being mean or spouting remarks about Baekhyun being a servant. 

 

“Do friends dance with each other like this?” Chanyeol asks, leaning down to whisper in Baekhyun’s ear for the tailor to hear him clearly. 

 

“Of course!” Baekhyun yells over the sudden booming of the fireworks flying up to the sky. Chanyeol tilts his head upwards, staring at the colorful blasts of fireworks lighting up the dark skies, but Baekhyun finds fascinations in the way the prince’s dimples deepen when he smiles too widely, and the way the reflection of the fireworks lighting up in Chanyeol’s eyes somehow seem a little brighter. 

 

Midnights like these – dancing with his childhood friend, surrounded by laughter, cheers and fireworks – he’d never expect that he would experience this. 

 

“Happy new year, Your Highness,” he whispers as the fireworks begin to dissipate slowly, vanishing in the night sky. 

 

Chanyeol meets his gaze, smiling. “Happy new year, servant boy.”

 

Baekhyun rolls his eyes, threatening to push the prince away before the prince pulls him back in, swaying to the soothing slow music, gently laughing. 

 

“Sorry, sorry,” Chanyeol beams. “Royal tailor. Not servant boy.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_iv._ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Baek, I need to talk to you.”

 

The crown prince suddenly says as Baekhyun scribbles on his notepad that he’s resting on the prince’s shoulder. The tailor is still distracted, focusing on the prince’s measurements now that he has gotten way too tall. It’s rather unfair, really, considering the fact that even after three years, Baekhyun has only grown just a few inches taller compared to the prince whose head is out of Baekhyun’s reach now. 

 

“Hold on, I’m busy,” Baekhyun stuffs Chanyeol’s mouth with his pencil before he chucks his notepad back on the table and he continues to measure the prince’s hips. 

 

He wraps the measurement tape around Chanyeol’s waist, squinting his eyes as he tries to read the measurement before the crown prince pulls him in his embrace, resting his chin on Baekhyun’s head, squeezing him to death. “Pay attention to me!”

 

Baekhyun groans, smacking the prince’s arm. “Chanyeol, just be patient for a few more seconds until I’m finished with this. If your clothes end up being too tight or too loose, you’ll still blame me for it.” 

 

“But I’m _bored_ ,” Chanyeol pouts, hesitantly releasing the royal tailor from his arms. “I want to go out and eat.” 

 

“Do you honestly think I enjoy doing this?” Baekhyun scolds him, poking the prince’s forehead with his pencil. “We can eat right after I’m done with this, okay?”

 

“You said this morning but you ended up helping the maids decorate the ballroom,” the prince whines, stomping his feet on the floor, making it even more difficult for Baekhyun to get an accurate measurement of his hips. 

 

“Chanyeol, you’re twenty-one now, stop acting like a child.” Baekhyun sighs exasperatedly, holding the man and forces him to stand still. He exhales in relief when he finally jots down the final measurements, tossing his pencil aside after he’s finished. “God, I actually prefer the old you over this… kid standing in front of me. At least _that_ Chanyeol was more matured.” 

 

Surprisingly, after a few years go by, the crown prince became more and more attached to him. They still sneak out of the palace on some nights to stroll along the city, and attending the city’s new year’s festival became compulsory for the two soulmates every year. 

 

Though unlike the king and queen who were delighted at the fact that Chanyeol and Baekhyun were closer than ever as friends, the second prince didn’t take it too well. Sehun constantly began to fight for Baekhyun’s attention, declaring that the crown prince has stolen him away, damaging the two royal brothers’ relationship even more. Now that Sehun is finally turning eighteen, Baekhyun is sure that the younger prince will find happiness with his newfound soulmate instead of pinning over Baekhyun. 

 

“But everyone is paying attention to Sehun and they don’t care about me anymore,” Chanyeol complaints irritably, taking a seat on his bed once he sees Baekhyun rolling up the measuring tape to keep in his sewing kit. 

 

“I care about you,” Baekhyun grins, approaching the prince to hold onto his hand, pulling him up again. “Don’t be such a big baby about it. It’s Sehun’s big day tomorrow. He’s going to turn eighteen.” 

 

“His soulmate is probably some lousy maiden,” Chanyeol jokes, intertwining his fingers with the tailor’s slender ones as they make their way to the kitchen. “Or maybe even a servant. Or… maybe his soulmate lives far, far away and they will never meet.

 

“Don’t wish for something like that upon your younger brother,” Baekhyun chides, elbowing the crown prince’s side. “I hope he will have a very nice soulmate who deserves him just as much as he deserves them.” 

 

“And I hope that when he discovers his soulmate, he doesn’t push them away, unlike _someone_ we know…” Baekhyun adds, narrowing his eyes towards the crown prince who pouts, pulling on Baekhyun’s arm. 

 

“Oh, come on now, don’t be mean,” Chanyeol sheepishly replies in a playful tone, swinging the royal tailor’s arm back and forth. “You hated me too.”

 

“That’s because you stopped talking to me when we were kids,” Baekhyun grumbles, pulling his arms away to cross them against his chest. “And you grew up saying mean things to me.”

 

“That’s because you left me for Sehun!” Chanyeol retorts defensively, fiddling with his own hands. 

 

Baekhyun stares at the prince in disbelief. “I didn’t leave you for S—” 

 

“—Baekhyun, there you are!” the second prince calls out for him, jogging up to them. He ignores Chanyeol who is glaring at him, trying to shoo him away, before he grasps onto Baekhyun’s arm. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

 

“Is something wrong?” Baekhyun questions, feeling worried all of a sudden. “What happened, Sehun?”

 

“No, nothing’s wrong,” Sehun simpers shyly, scratching his nape with his eyes casted downwards. “I was just wondering if you can help me practice dancing. I’m scared I might screw up tomorrow.”

 

Chanyeol clears his throat, interrupting the two men. “Unfortunately for you, Baekhyun and I were about to—”

 

“Of course I can help!” Baekhyun replies enthusiastically. 

 

The crown prince grunts, looking like he’s about to throw another tantrum. “Baekhyun!”

 

“We can eat in the ballroom,” Baekhyun assures the crown prince, rubbing his hand on the prince’s arm to calm him down. “I’ll just tell the maids to bring your food to the ballroom for you to eat while I help Sehun practice, okay?” 

 

“You’re leaving me for Sehun _right now_!” Chanyeol accuses, eyes clouded with disappointment. “You know what, I don’t care anymore. Go and do whatever you want, I’m not even hungry anymore.”

 

“Chanyeol, don’t be like that,” Baekhyun sighs, trying to comfort his soulmate who shakes his head and walks away, leaving Baekhyun standing next to the bewildered second prince. 

 

“Has the idiot always been like that?” Sehun quips, chuckling in amusement. “I don’t recall him being so clingy before.”

 

They both watch as the crown prince storms up the stairs, slamming the door to his chamber, startling the maids nearby. Chanyeol isn’t usually like this unless he feels threatened by his own younger brother’s presence, which Baekhyun can’t really comprehend. The crown prince is protective of his younger brother still, but he dislikes it when Sehun is smothering Baekhyun with affection, which baffles the royal tailor even more. 

 

“Honestly, it’s like I have to deal with two giant babies,” he palms his face, feeling the ache pulsing in his head. “Both of you.”

 

“What did _I_ even do?” Sehun splutters as Baekhyun grabs his arm, dragging him to the ballroom where the maids are still rushing about, pacing here and there to finish decorating the ballroom – not even glancing at them when they walk by. 

 

“If you keep on provoking your brother and teasing him every time he tries to speak, your damaged relationship with him will never change.” Baekhyun tells him, his eyes softening at the sight of the clueless young prince. He holds onto Sehun’s shoulders as the prince guides him to a slow dance, occupied by the soft murmurs of the song playing on the small radio. 

 

Throughout the few years Baekhyun and the crown prince have been friends, he has listened to the prince’s complaints about his younger brother and how he taunted him. Baekhyun knew that he needed to hear from both sides of the story, but he’s seen how Sehun and the king treated the crown prince, how they tend to isolate him without them even realizing it. Chanyeol doesn’t usually show it, but Baekhyun knows that he’s been hurt plenty of times. Now that Baekhyun is practically the crown prince’s other half, he feels the burden of the prince’s pain too. 

 

And he doesn’t like it one bit.

 

“I just want the both of you to be true brothers again,” he sighs, pinching the second prince’s nose. “I know you love him and you care for him. He cares for you too, so why don’t you two just set your egos and pride aside for a moment, hmm?”

 

Sehun avoids Baekhyun’s pleading gaze, stubbornly shaking his head. “He’s going to laugh at me if I ever apologize to him. Chanyeol always thinks he’s better than me in every way just because he’s the king and the queen’s son and I’m the son of the king and the royal concubine. He’s looked down on me plenty of times, Baekhyun.” 

 

“No, he doesn’t.” Baekhyun furrows his eyebrows, frustrated. “Don’t you ever notice? Even when he is the queen’s son, the queen still focuses on _you_. They don’t talk to him at breakfast. They don’t ask him how his day was at dinner. All they focus on is you. Not him. The one who stole the king and queen’s hearts – it was never him. It was you. Haven’t you noticed?”

 

The second prince breaks away from their slow waltz, startling him and the other maids surrounding them. Sehun stares at him with glassy eyes, distancing himself from Baekhyun. He’s grown up so well now – tall and handsome, with a permanent frown on his face, unlike the cheerful young prince Baekhyun used to know. Come to think of it, the second prince reminds him so much like Chanyeol from all those years ago – his cold demeanor and his shoulders hunched with pride.

 

“He used to say awful things about you all the time. You used to complaint about him to me all the time – the things he said to you, the names he called you, the fact that he doesn’t want anyone to know that you are his… His…” Sehun trails off, his voice cracking. “So why are you taking his side now?”

 

“I’m not on anybody’s side,” he mumbles, disappointed with the second prince’s stubbornness. He thought Sehun was better than this. “I’m just tired of watching him get hurt knowing that no matter how hard he tries, he could never be in number one in the king’s eyes even when he’s the king’s oldest son and the heir to the throne.”

 

Sehun turns away, refusing to listen to him any longer, but he doesn’t refrain Baekhyun from pulling onto his arm.

 

“At this point, I don’t even _know_ if he’s still the heir to the throne or not. After all, you are about to turn eighteen. If you manage to find your soulmate and you end up marrying them, you have a greater potential of being the next king than he does.” Baekhyun says in a perpetually tired tone. “When that happens, what’s going to happen to him if you don’t fix this broken relationship right now?”

 

“I don’t want to be the king. I don’t want to be the future heir of the king’s throne. This?” Sehun looks around, pointing to the shimmering chandelier, the golden ballroom, the hustling butlers and maids. “I don’t want any of this. I surely deserve all of this more than he does, but I don’t want it. He can have it all.”

 

“Sehun…” Baekhyun pleads before the second prince can storm out of the ballroom. “Please.”

 

“He’s so childish to the point where he sent you to talk things out with me.” Sehun chuckles sarcastically. “If he ever wants to fix this, he would’ve discussed this with me instead of ordering other people to speak on his behalf, but then again, that’s just how he is. He’s a coward.” 

 

“Sehun—”

 

“If you want to fix things on behalf of him, Baekhyun, the only thing you can do is to pick a side.” The second prince says before he walks out the door. “And I’m sure you’re wise enough to pick the right one.”

 

Baekhyun’s hands trembles as he staggers back, heartbroken. His mark is starting to ache again and too many thoughts are running in his head, it’s beginning to nauseate him. He runs after the second prince, yelling out for him.

 

“Sehun!” he exclaims before the prince can go any further. “If you hurt him, you hurt me too.”

 

The prince stops momentarily, but he doesn’t turn around to look at Baekhyun anymore. He doesn’t flash him a smile, or hand him his signature soft laughter. He’s changed, and Baekhyun can’t figure out if he’s changing for the better or rather the opposite.

 

“I know,” he says, leaving Baekhyun alone once more.

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

It’s raining heavily when Baekhyun reaches the top of the tower, so he’s not that surprised to see the crown prince sitting there, facing the railing, covered in a cocoon made out of a blanket that Baekhyun made for him a few months ago. It seems like the prince still hasn’t noticed Baekhyun’s presence yet, deep in his thoughts again perhaps or the loud drizzles of the rain deafened from listening to his surroundings. Baekhyun quietly crawls under the blanket, popping up beside the startled prince with a teasing grin.

 

“It’s midnight. Why aren’t you asleep, Your Highness?” Baekhyun pokes the man’s side, trying to put a smile on his face but he ultimately fails. “Overthinking again?”

 

Chanyeol doesn’t even spare him a glance, still evidently angry from the whole fiasco that happened that afternoon. Baekhyun pouts, opting on poking the prince’s cheek instead, digging his finger into the man’s dimple. 

 

“Still don’t want to talk to me?” Baekhyun whines, repetitively jabbing his fingers on the prince’s face without mercy this time, begging for attention. “Chanyeol, come on. Don’t be mad. I’m sorry I didn’t eat with you because I had to help Sehun practice. Don’t be angry, Chanyeol, come on…”

 

“I’m not angry,” Chanyeol finally replies, voice quiet as he fiddles with his fingers. He points to the sullen blue mark on his wrist. “I’m sad.”

 

Baekhyun juts his bottom lip out, shifting closer to Chanyeol before he wraps his arms around the prince’s waist, resting his head on the prince’s shoulder as he stares up to him. “Why are you sad? Is it because of something I said just now?”

 

Chanyeol leans into Baekhyun’s much needed warmth, his pleasant sigh can barely be heard compared to the sound of the heavy rain. It took Chanyeol quite a long time to get used to being friends again with Baekhyun back then, but right after he got the hang of it, he slowly became dependent on the royal tailor, always craving for platonic affection every time he was upset. Baekhyun didn’t mind at all – if he’s being truly honest, he would admit that the crown prince’s affectionate side is rather adorable. 

 

“Tell me what’s bothering you,” Baekhyun rubs the man’s back, soothing him with his hums. “Did the king say anything to you while I was with Sehun this afternoon?”

 

The crown prince nods sadly, dazed. “He called for me right after you left.”

 

Baekhyun sighs, slightly bothered and worried. Knowing the king and his snarky remarks when it comes to the crown prince, this couldn’t be good. He should have just eaten with Chanyeol instead of dancing with Sehun. “What did he say, Chanyeol?”

 

“He said…” Chanyeol starts, and there’s already a slight waver in his voice. “He said that I’m not qualified enough to become the next king.”

 

“But you are the crown prince,” Baekhyun reassures him, patting his chest gently. “It doesn’t matter if you’re qualified or not… If the kingdom ever needs a new king, it’ll automatically be you, simply because you are the king’s first son.” 

 

“It’s not that I _want_ to bethe king, because I don’t want to. I don’t want that kind of responsibility,” Chanyeol explains with disappointment laced in his voice. “I’m… scared.”

 

Baekhyun stops trying to comfort the prince as he tenses, sitting up straight so he can face Chanyeol, cradling the prince’s face in his hands. “Of what?”

 

“Of what will happen to me if Sehun becomes the next king,” Chanyeol mumbles truthfully with his eyes downcast. “You know how much he hates me.”

 

“He doesn’t hate you. Silly prince.” Baekhyun grumpily scolds him, squeezing the prince’s cheeks together. “Nothing is going to happen to you. You are a prince. You are going to become the next king, not him.”

 

“If he ends up finding his soulmate tomorrow, he will.” Chanyeol whispers, dejected. “A king must marry his soulmate, remember?”

 

Baekhyun falters, his hands falling to his sides. His heart races as he takes a long look at the helpless crown prince, taking his time to memorize each and every freckle, every birthmark, the faint mole on the bridge of his nose, the curve of his smile – he’s sinking everything in so quickly but he doesn’t even know why he’s doing this. 

 

“If…” Baekhyun pauses. “If Sehun doesn’t get to find his soulmate… and he marries someone else, that means he won’t get to become the king too, right?” 

 

Chanyeol frowns, staring back at Baekhyun in confusion. “Yes.”

 

 “If that happens, the kingdom will have no choice but to have you as its king, isn’t that so?” Baekhyun gushes, gripping on the prince’s arm, his heart threatening to jump out of his chest. “If neither of the two princes marry their soulmates, one of them will inevitably turn king, too! Do you know what this means, Chanyeol?”

 

“I… I don’t quite understand... Baekhyun, are you alright?” Chanyeol tries to hold onto him. “What are you talking about?”

 

“You want to marry Joohyun, don’t you? You’ve talked about marrying her for years, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun smiles, but his lips are trembling. “If Sehun doesn’t find his soulmate, you can marry the love of your life and become the king at the same time. Do you still not get it?”

 

“I-I’ve never thought about it that way.” Chanyeol says truthfully, the corner of his lips slowly pulling into a small grin. “Are you sure, Baekhyun? Can that really happen?”

 

“Yes!” Baekhyun exclaims, pulling the crown prince into a hug. “I’m very sure, Chanyeol. It can happen. It will!”

 

The crown prince smiles widely, beyond thrilled to know that he might have a chance to get married to his girlfriend after all. But slowly, his shoulders slump down again, slowly releasing himself from Baekhyun’s embrace. “But… How are we so sure that Sehun won’t find his soulmate?”

 

Baekhyun traces his fingers on the skin of the prince’s cheek affectionately, cupping the man’s chin in his hand. “Trust me on this.”

 

The crown prince nods once, still deep in his thoughts. “But… If I get to marry Joohyun, what will happen to you?”

 

“What do you mean?” Baekhyun snorts, smacking the prince’s head. “I’ll be happy of course. Two of my good friends finally getting married? I’ll be thrilled, Chanyeol, don’t be silly.”

 

“But you’ll be alone,” Chanyeol says, running his fingers through Baekhyun’s hair. 

 

“I won’t be alone. I have my soulmate with me.” Baekhyun chuckles, resting his chin on his palm as he stares at the conflicted crown prince. “Besides, maybe I’ll find myself a date tomorrow. Maybe that one cobbler who comes by every Sunday to polish your shoes, or maybe I’ll fall in love with one of the guards. You don’t mind if I date Jongin, do you?”

 

Chanyeol’s smile completely disappears as he narrows his eyes at the laughing tailor. As Baekhyun continues to laugh, Chanyeol keeps mum, his gaze focusing on nothing in particular, but his eyes are cloudy with confusion. When Baekhyun notices this, he stops laughing, snapping his fingers to break the crown prince’s deep trance. “Chanyeol?”

 

“I’ve… never thought about that,” the prince breathes out, glancing at Baekhyun’s worried expression. “I’ve never really thought about you getting married sooner or later.”

 

Baekhyun’s gaze softens. “Are you afraid that I might go far away from you and the mark would hurt?”

 

“Sort of…” the taller man murmurs.

 

“You don’t have to worry about that. Notice that I’m only interested in marrying someone who lives in this palace,” Baekhyun grins. “In that way, I won’t stray away. I’ll always be here.”

 

“Even if I marry Joohyun and become the king one day,” Chanyeol starts, hesitating. “You won’t leave me, right?”

 

Baekhyun tries to flash a reassuring smile, but it comes off as a mistrustful grimace instead.

 

Chanyeol searches for answers in his glassy eyes. “You’re the only friend I have.”

 

 _I don’t know if I can trust myself,_ Baekhyun thinks.

 

He tries to smile again.

 

“I know,” Baekhyun replies, unconvinced with himself. “I won’t leave you.”

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

When dawn approaches, he and the prince are still in the tower. Chanyeol’s head is propped comfortably on Baekhyun’s lap as Baekhyun plays with the prince’s hair while he’s still asleep. Baekhyun gazes at him fondly, his hums lulling the prince into a deep sleep while his fingers create an almost rhythmic motion, tracing the bridge of the prince’s nose. The rain has long gone away, only occasional drips of raindrops hitting wet grass can be heard, and at times like this, Baekhyun is able to think clearly.

 

Soon, one day, Baekhyun’s soulmate will marry someone else, someone he truly loves. He has been through years and years of witnessing the way Chanyeol and Joohyun’s eyes lighting up every time their gazes met, always so happy just to be in each other’s presence. The two star-crossed lovers eventually become his closest friends that he began to cherish, and sooner or later, he knows that things will go downhill between them if he doesn’t do _something_.

 

The autumn princess knows that Baekhyun is her lover’s soulmate. It was difficult for her to accept at first, but after a few weeks of comforting her and reassuring her that they were nothing more than close friends and platonic soulmates, it didn’t take her such a long time to open up to Baekhyun, accepting him as her friend too, no longer threatened by him and his place as Chanyeol’s soulmate. 

 

Though as time goes by, Baekhyun is starting to feel threatened by himself and what his heart is telling him to do. 

 

“I just don’t want you to get hurt,” he whispers, no longer touching the man’s face. “You’re my best friend.”

 

If he hadn’t covered his mark, layer by layer under his sleeves, he would have seen how it glimmers in jade green.

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

For a moment, Baekhyun wishes that none of this ever happened. 

 

If only he wasn’t so stubborn, if he just left the crown prince alone after finding out that they were soulmates, perhaps none of this would have happened. If he remained quiet, if he remained the ‘servant boy’ that Chanyeol used to dislike, if he didn’t bring the prince to the new year’s festival, danced with him, held his hands, became his friend again, became someone who Chanyeol trusts, if he just _knew his place_ , he wouldn’t have to face this. 

 

He wouldn’t have to worry about the two princes’ happiness, he wouldn’t have to interfere with the royal family’s feud. If Chanyeol and him weren’t friends, perhaps Baekhyun wouldn’t have to question himself why does his heart beat so swift when the crown prince is close to him, or why does it break when he sees the prince’s pained eyes. He doesn’t know if he earned Chanyeol’s trust – and if he did, he doesn’t know if he truly deserved it.

 

He tries to stop dwelling about the crown prince, forcing himself to focus on the second prince’s big day instead. Baekhyun smiles as he fixes Sehun’s collar, then he smoothens the creases on the prince’s shoulder blades. A part of him refuses to look at the second prince even when he knows that Sehun has been staring at him silently the moment he walked into the prince’s chamber, but as Sehun tips his chin up, Baekhyun has no options but to stare back at him, smiling faintly. 

 

“You’re sad,” the young prince says. It isn’t a question.

 

“I’m not,” he tries to deny, putting on his best grin. “Sad that you’re growing up so fast now, maybe. The next thing you know, you’re off to some community college and you don’t want to be seen with me because I’m old and uncool.”

 

Sehun bursts into a fit of bright laughter. “You’re exaggerating.”

 

“Whoever your soulmate is, they’re going to be very lucky to have you.” Baekhyun says matter-of-factly, brushing dust off the prince’s shoulder pads when he’s ready to go. Everyone else is already waiting downstairs, beyond excited to greet the second prince, but Sehun is still here with him, standing in front of him in silence. 

 

“Whoever they are, they’re not _you_ ,” the prince mutters, tugging on his tie before it begins to suffocate him. “They will never replace you in my life. You know that, Baekhyun.” 

 

“Sehun…” Baekhyun warns, frowning. 

 

The second prince laughs lightly, patting the royal tailor’s head. “You don’t love me back, I know, but that won’t make me stop loving you still.”

 

Baekhyun purses his lips. “Don’t say things like that. You’re still very young, you still have a lot of time to think things over—”

 

“I’ve been feeling this way since we were kids. I’ve thought about it—this—my whole life, Baekhyun.” Sehun whispers sadly, cradling Baekhyun’s face in his hands, resting their foreheads against each other. “I’ve thought about you my whole life. I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life. Even if I’m not your soulmate, there is still a way for me to be with you.”

 

Then he lets go. 

 

Simply releases Baekhyun from his embrace like nothing happened, taking one last look in the mirror before he prepares himself for the grand ceremony. Baekhyun releases a shaky breath, trying to say something, anything, but no words try to crawl out of his throat.

 

“You can’t make everyone happy, Baekhyun, because someone will inevitably get hurt in the process nonetheless.” Sehun says, his fists clenched. “Sometimes you just need to be selfish.”

 

Baekhyun can barely hear the prince’s words over the loud thundering of his own heart. 

 

Sehun stops and turns around when he realizes Baekhyun is still standing there, frozen. He approaches the tailor and offers his hand for Baekhyun to take, waiting for the man’s silent answer. “Let’s go. I don’t want to be late for my own ceremony.”

 

Baekhyun stares at the outstretched hand for a few seconds before he shakes his head, his cheeks lifted when he forces a smile too wide and he pretends to not notice the young prince’s disappointed expression. 

 

“You go first,” he nods towards the door. “I have to wait for someone else.”

 

Sehun chuckles softly. He sounds like he’s in pain. 

 

“It’s always someone else.”

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

The Spring Kingdom’s second prince’s grand ceremony is evidently more festive than he remembered the crown prince’s coming-of-age ceremony used to be. People seem more enthusiastic and excited when they attend this particular ceremony compared to the previous one all those years ago. It isn’t such a wonder why everyone from every single kingdom is so eager to attend the ceremony – the second prince has always been a hero in their eyes. Young girls and boys crowd in front of the gate of the palace, hoping to become the second prince’s soulmate. 

 

Baekhyun smiles as Yerim walks by, offering him a platter of food that was too small to be _called_ food. He squints as he stares closely at the small portions of savory food on the tray she’s currently holding. “What _is_ that? Is that crab cake or something?”

 

“I have no idea, sir…” she stammers, wobbly hands struggling to hold two trays at once, especially when these guests keep on snatching the tiny pieces of food on the trays. “My job is only to serve these people, not to question their food preference no matter how strange it is.”

 

Baekhyun clutches onto his stomach as he barks a boisterous laugh. “I guess so.” 

 

She offers the platter to him, to which he rejects immediately, his face contorting at the sight of the appetizers. Instead, he focuses on the glinting mark on her wrist, a symbol that Baekhyun has never seen before, pretty in rosy pink. It gives Yerim a gorgeous glow, not to mention, she looks happier than before, taller and even prettier now after she discovered her soulmate. Baekhyun still doesn’t know who her soulmate is, but whoever they are, they are lucky enough. 

 

“Pretty mark you got there. I didn’t know you turned eighteen already.” He says, fascinated. “Tell your soulmate I said hi, by the way.”

 

“I turned eighteen last year,” she blushes, heat creeping up from her neck to her face. “I’ll be sure to tell her.” 

 

 _Her,_ Baekhyun thinks. _No wonder she looks happy._

 

“Seems like I’m the only one with a problematic soulmate,” he mutters, laughing to himself after Yerim continues to approach other guests with the horrid appetizers, which, oddly, all the fancy guests seem to like.

 

 _Speaking of my soulmate,_ Baekhyun searches around the ballroom, frowning when he doesn’t see any sight of the crown prince. _Where’s Chanyeol?_

 

Sehun is still chatting with the two married princes from the Winter Kingdom with great enthusiasm, eyes wide with interest and fascination as he shakes their hands. While no one seems to notice him, Baekhyun takes the chance to exit the ballroom, glancing at the flower garden just in case he sees the crown prince lurking by the trees. When he fails to find the crown prince still, he makes his way up to the prince’s chamber, opening the door with a click, barging in.

 

“Chanyeol, the ceremony has begun an hour ago—” Baekhyun stops in the middle of his sentence, stopping at the sight of two lovers with their mouths attached to one another. “Oh…”

 

The princess notices him first, large hazel eyes bulging out when she pulls away from the kiss, hastily wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “B-Baekhyun!”

 

“Hello, princess,” he nods slightly, smiling. “Sorry for simply barging in. I wasn’t informed that you have already arrived.” 

 

“God damn it, Baekhyun, way to kill the mood.” Chanyeol rolls his eyes, snatching his blazer from the bed before he buttons up his shirt again. “Joohyun snuck up here a while ago. We just don’t really feel like eating, but we’ll come down in a moment.”

 

Baekhyun crosses his arms, still standing in the doorway, leaning on the wall. “You haven’t eaten breakfast yet, Chanyeol, and I’m not going to tolerate you when you eventually come whining to me because you’re hungry.” 

 

Joohyun chuckles in amusement. “You _whine_ at him when you’re hungry?”

 

“Baek, just…” Chanyeol grumbles, glancing over at Joohyun in embarrassment. “Stop acting all worried about me. I’m not a kid, okay, I’ll be fine. Just leave us alone for a moment, alright? I’ll come down in a second.”

 

It’s a lie if he says that it doesn’t sting a little, but Baekhyun pretends to pay no heed, brushing the prince off with a playful smirk. “Alright, lovebirds. Don’t you dare miss the ballroom dance though. It’s going to start any minute now.”

 

“We’ll be sure to come,” Joohyun grins, waving her hand to him when he closes the door again, leaving the two lovers alone.

 

Baekhyun leans against the door when he shuts it closed, resting his palm on his frantic heartbeat, cursing at himself with shame for invading the crown prince and his girlfriend’s privacy. The crown prince was right, though. Maybe Baekhyun should really stop worrying over the prince so much, going too far by embarrassing him along the way. He’s too used to the way the crown prince clings onto him every time they are alone, simply forgetting the fact that his soulmate is a grown man capable of taking care of himself.

 

He wills himself to forget the image of the lovers kissing, etched in the back of his mind. Baekhyun has seen the crown prince and his girlfriend kissing and expressing their affection for one another more than twice, so why is this suddenly a big deal now? 

 

“Come to your senses,” he whispers to himself, slapping his cheek a few times as he returns to the ballroom, where the music is already starting to play. 

 

Baekhyun grabs a glass of champagne arranged on the table, gulping it down with one harsh sip, handing the glass to a servant nearby. He should really stop thinking about this. He’s going to go insane if he keeps on dwelling on this. Perhaps he just needs to take a seat and breathe before he does something stupid, or perhaps he should join all the guests who are making their way to the center of the ballroom where they start to dance.

 

He doesn’t have the time to contemplate before a hand yanks on his arm and pulls him up, startling him. Baekhyun glances up to see Sehun flashing his signature smirk, bringing Baekhyun into his arms as he leads them to the dance floor. He pretends to be irked, but he ultimately fails, gladly joining the second prince in a slow waltz. 

 

“Have you found your soulmate yet?” Baekhyun asks, swaying gently.  

 

“Not yet. I don’t really think going around the ballroom and staring at other people’s wrists is appropriate, if that’s what you’re suggesting.” Sehun snorts, spinning the man around in his arms, resting his hand on Baekhyun’s back, tracing his fingers down the royal tailor’s spine. “I’m not interested in finding a soulmate for now.” 

 

“I understand,” Baekhyun nods, resting his head on the prince’s shoulder as they dance. In the corner of the ballroom, he sees the crown prince holding his lover’s hand, leading her to dance as they giggle, and they have never seemed so happy before. “Sometimes it’s not easy to accept the fact that we’re tied to someone right after we turn eighteen.”

 

The pair of lovers’ laughter tug at his heartstrings, and Baekhyun slightly wants to experience that too – falling in love, fighting for the one you care for, cherishing someone with your whole heart. He just doesn’t know if he can ever find someone like that if he doesn’t keep his distance away from the crown prince. 

 

“But who do you think it will be? Just make a quick guess.” He teases, nudging the prince’s arm with his elbow. “Could it be someone from someone from the Winter Kingdom? Their princes are really good-looking… I kind of regret being the royal tailor for this kingdom. I would’ve gotten myself an ice prince by now, like literally… an ice prince.”

 

Sehun laughs, his shoulders trembling as he chuckles. “Even if you’re dating the Winter Kingdom’s ice prince, your soulmate will still be in the Spring Kingdom. You can’t go against your fate, Baekhyun.”

 

“You’re right…” Baekhyun smiles as he takes a look at the giggling crown prince, holding his girlfriend in his embrace as they dance, not paying attention to their surroundings at all. “He’s my fate.”

 

“Doesn’t mean that you necessarily have to be with him.” Sehun says quietly. 

 

“I know that,” he replies. “I want him to be happy with her.”

 

“You deserve to be happy too,” the second prince affectionately pulls on Baekhyun’s ear. “I’ve thought this through all night… ever since we had that talk. I’ve discussed with father about this.” 

 

“Discuss what?” Baekhyun asks, gazing at the prince with worry. “What are you talking about, Sehun?”

 

“Chanyeol…” the prince starts, swallowing the lump in his throat. He gains his confidence not long after, staring deep into Baekhyun’s eyes as he speaks again. “The king has decided that Chanyeol and I are old enough to rule the kingdom, so he’s thinking of stepping down the throne. Mother has been quite worried about his health and I don’t want him to be thinking about our people any longer – it’s time for him to think about his own health and wellbeing.”

 

Baekhyun’s legs tremble despite him continuing to dance, wrapping his arms tighter around the second prince’s neck when he feels like he’s about to fall down. 

 

“Chanyeol doesn’t have to wed his soulmate just to be king. He _will_ be the king soon, because I declined father’s offer.” Sehun shuts his eyes closed, breathing harshly. “Chanyeol is going to be the next king. I’m sure he will be thrilled about that.” 

 

“Sehun…” Baekhyun holds the prince’s face gently in his palm. “Are you sure about this?”

 

“Yes, I’m sure. Don’t worry about me, Baekhyun.” Sehun leans into his hand, pressing a kiss on his skin. “He’ll get to marry the princess too.”

 

Baekhyun is supposed to feel happy. This is what the crown prince wants. This is what Baekhyun wanted, too, but why does his heart hurt this time?

 

“As long as the people don’t find out that you’re his soulmate, of course.” Sehun chuckles slightly, but his smile is solemn. 

 

“That’s alright, I can just escape from this kingdom or something.” Baekhyun jokes, but a small of him is actually considering on doing that exactly even though he knows that it would just ruin things even more.

 

“That’s unnecessary. You don’t have to do all that.” Sehun laughs. “There _is_ a way for you to let people know that you’re his soulmate and still be able to stay here as long as you want to.”

 

“Really now?” Baekhyun smiles, tilting his head. “What is it?” 

 

Sehun’s gaze softens as his laugh slowly falters, grabbing Baekhyun’s hands, warming them with his own hands as he links their fingers together. 

 

“Baekhyun…” he brings Baekhyun’s hand to his cheek, pressing it there, staring intensely at him. “Marry me.”

 

Baekhyun’s heart completely drops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_v._ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a glass of champagne in his hand, Chanyeol struts across the ballroom, searching for a familiar face. He has been searching for Baekhyun ever since he entered the ballroom with Joohyun in tow, but eventually he got distracted, dancing with her in his arms. Now that she excused herself to freshen up a while ago, Chanyeol gazes around the room again, eyeing every single person waltzing on the dance floor, but there is not a sight of Baekhyun anywhere. Instead, he sees Jongin standing just beside the entrance of the ballroom, occasionally bowing to the guests who walk by.

 

He approaches the guard, frowning. “Jongin, have you seen Baekhyun?”

 

“He was dancing with the second prince a while ago,” he points towards Sehun, who seems awfully lonely despite the swooning princesses crowding around him. “And then he walked out of the ballroom. I am not quite sure where he went, Your Highness.”

 

Chanyeol takes a quick glance at his younger brother in a wary manner before he pats Jongin’s shoulder, thanking him with a muffled voice before he exits the ballroom to continue searching for the royal tailor. Why would Baekhyun be anywhere else except the ballroom on such an important night like this? After all, he was the one who was excited to witness Sehun finally turning eighteen and getting his own mark. 

 

He finally sees the man’s figure from afar, standing outside on this cold night, surrounded by bushes of roses in the queen’s flower garden. Chanyeol tries to hide his grin behind hand, sneakily making his way to the royal tailor, making sure the sound of his footsteps can’t be heard as he comes up to the man, wrapping his arms around the man’s waist, startling him. 

 

“Baekhyun!” he yells in his best friend’s ears, laughing when he sees Baekhyun flinching. “Why are you standing out here and not dancing away in the ballroom? I thought that was your forte.” 

 

The man turns around, still trapped in Chanyeol’s arms, hastily wiping his cheeks with both his hands before he gives him a small smile. “Hey there, prince. The ballroom is quite crowded and stuffy, I just came out here to get some fresh air.”

 

“Hey, wait,” Chanyeol grabs the tailor’s hands, stopping him from covering his face any longer. His eyebrows furrow as he observes the man’s damp red cheeks. “Have you been _crying?_ ”

 

“No, I’m not.” Baekhyun frantically shakes his head, avoiding Chanyeol’s eyes, chuckling a little. “Who do you think I am? A big baby like you?”

 

“You were crying.” Chanyeol states the obvious, ignoring the tailor’s sarcastic remark. “Why were you crying?”

 

“I wasn’t crying, Chanyeol, get over it.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes, pushing him slightly, letting Chanyeol’s hands fall back to his sides as he stares at the royal tailor in confusion. “Why are _you_ out here? Where’s the princess? I saw you dancing with her just now. Did you leave her there?” 

 

“No, I didn’t leave her, she—wait a minute, don’t try to distract me!” Chanyeol exclaims, wiping his thumb on the man’s cheek. “You were obviously crying. Is it because of what I said earlier? Are you mad at me?”

 

“What? No!” Baekhyun looks at him incredulously, but he allows Chanyeol to continue holding onto his face, as if he’s searching for a bruise or a cut somewhere on Baekhyun’s face that was the cause of Baekhyun’s tears – anything to give him answers. “Seriously, Chanyeol, stop freaking out. I’m fine.”

 

“I have never seen you cry before, of course I’m freaking out.” Chanyeol murmurs, affectionately wiping the last bits of tears in the corner of his best friend’s eyes. His heart aches at the sight of Baekhyun looking so lost like this. He then remembers how his younger brother almost had the same expression when he was in the ballroom just now. “Did Sehun say something to you?”

 

Baekhyun visibly looks surprised at his words before he denies Chanyeol’s accusations, setting himself free from Chanyeol as he tries to walk away despite Chanyeol pulling him back. “He didn’t say anything.”

 

“Liar,” Chanyeol scolds, frowning. “Jongin said he saw you two dancing just now before you stormed out of the ballroom. What did he say to you? Tell me, Baek.”

 

“If I tell you, you’re going to hate me all over again.” Baekhyun snaps, snatching his hands away, his eyes watering again. “And I don’t want to take that risk.”

 

“What are you talking about? I won’t hate you, Baekhyun, that was all in the past.” Chanyeol sighs, exasperated. He can hear the sound of the guests cheering and clapping inside the palace. He knows Joohyun is probably searching for him by now. But Chanyeol can’t bring himself to care about all those things, not when his own soulmate is standing here right in front of him, looking like he’s a few seconds away from slipping out of Chanyeol’s grip. 

 

“Whatever it is that Sehun said, or whatever it is that you did, I can take it,” Chanyeol adds, chuckling nervously, unsure if he’s trying to reassure Baekhyun or himself. “Tell me what he said that made you react like this, Baekhyun.”

 

“Sehun…” his soulmate starts, almost whispering. “He wants me to marry him.” 

 

Chanyeol stiffens. There’s a faint sound of harsh shattering in the back of his mind, then everything around him is silent. He can no longer hear the guests’ cheers and claps, or Baekhyun’s occasional hiccups, or the sound of the cold breeze brushing through their clothes. His world is beyond quiet, only occupied with the sound of his heart thumping too fast.

 

“What…” he trails off, voice quavering. “What did you reply?”

 

His soulmate looks away, biting his lips, trembling. 

 

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol calls for him, almost falling in between rage and absolute sadness. “What did you say to him?”

 

“I said yes,” he whispers, eyes downcast. “I’m getting married to him... after you turn king.”

 

Chanyeol needs an explanation as to why his heart feels like it’s shattering, so painful that it instantly turns their soulmate marks red. He tries to breath in shakily, trembling with rage. He doesn’t know what he’s feeling. Angry? Confused? Betrayed? It almost feels like he’s heartbroken, even.

 

Baekhyun gazes at him worriedly, approaching him with caution. “Chanyeol—”

 

“No.” Chanyeol shakes his head, holding his hand up before the man can get even closer. “Don’t talk to me.”

 

“Chanyeol, please,” Baekhyun pleads, trying to grasp onto his hands. “This is what I meant when I said that you would hate me if I told you what happened.”

 

“So you were just planning to not tell me at all until you eventually get married?” Chanyeol asks, his voice cracking. “You were just going to keep me in the dark?”

 

“I wasn’t sure how you would react,” the man replies truthfully, ashamed. “I’m sorry, Chanyeol.”

 

“You’re leaving me for him,” Chanyeol chuckles brokenly. “Again.”

 

“I’m not leaving you. I’m not going anywhere.” Baekhyun tries to convince him but Chanyeol is too stubborn and exhausted to be dealing with this right now. “Chanyeol, listen to me, please. I’m here. I won’t leave you.”

 

“Liar!” his voice booms, visibly startling the man. Chanyeol breathes heavily, betrayal and exhaustion wearing him out. He can’t bring himself to face Baekhyun’s hurt expression, but he needs to say this. He needs Baekhyun to know how badly Chanyeol is hurting too. “You left me for him before. Even if that was such a long time ago, even if that happened when we were kids, it still hurt. It hurts to know that no matter what I do and how I try to impress everyone, all of you will eventually leave me for someone better because I am never enough for any of you. Not for my father, not for my own mother, not even for you.”

 

Baekhyun stays silent, taken aback as Chanyeol pours his heart out. He doesn’t realize that he has been crying until he harshly wipes his sleeves on his face, looking away. There it is – his breaking point. All of his feelings that he has been bottling up within himself since he was a child are all revealed with one single burst of rage. It makes him seem more and more pathetic.

 

“I trusted you and opened up to you again because I was sure that you’d never leave me again.” Chanyeol staggers back, the impact of his breakdown making his legs quaver. “I didn’t want to be the king. I didn’t want to be the crown prince or the king’s most favorite son. I don’t want any of this.”

 

“Chanyeol…” Baekhyun approaches him slowly, massaging Chanyeol’s tensed knuckles with his thumbs. Then he doesn’t say anything else. No other words to comfort him or to try to reassure him that nothing bad is going to happen, because Baekhyun must have realized that what Chanyeol said was all true. 

 

“I wasn’t asking for much,” he sniffles, calming down slightly, focusing on Baekhyun’s fingers caressing the skin of his hands. “I just wanted a friend.”

 

“And I’m still here, aren’t I?” Baekhyun gently pries Chanyeol’s fingers up to his cheeks, smiling as he holds both his hands there. “Look at me. Have I disappeared yet?”

 

Chanyeol slowly shakes his head, feeling Baekhyun’s warmth under the tips of his fingers. “Not yet.”

 

“I’m still your friend. I’m still your soulmate. Things are going to change, but I’m certain that things will change for the better.” Baekhyun releases Chanyeol’s hands, but they remain stuck there, holding onto his cheeks. The royal tailor doesn’t seem to mind. Instead, he wraps his warm arms around Chanyeol’s waist, pulling him closer. “You’re going to be a great king and you’re going to have a wonderful queen by your side. Things will change, but I’ll always be here with you. If you get hurt, I get hurt too, remember?”

 

Chanyeol tries to focus on being angry, trying to remember all the hurt and betrayal he felt, but the longer he stares at Baekhyun’s genuine smile, all of his doubts start to crumble, turning into ashes. 

 

He sighs in frustration. “Out of all people, why did you have to marry my younger brother?”

 

Baekhyun lets out a startled laugh, seemingly relieved that Chanyeol is beginning to show signs of trusting him again. “I didn’t really have a choice. The rest of the servants have already found their soulmates. It was either the king or the second prince, and I don’t think you will ever forgive me if I married the king.

 

Chanyeol scrunches his nose, grimacing at that particular thought of Baekhyun possibly marrying his own father. “Terrifying.” 

 

“Definitely,” the man agrees, bursting into his usual bubbly laughter. Chanyeol remains staring at him, mesmerized. 

 

“You could’ve married me,” he quietly suggests, not noticing the look of surprise on Baekhyun’s face. “I wouldn’t have minded.”

 

“Well, if you weren’t so in love with someone else, maybe I would have done just that.” Baekhyun jokes, poking his finger into Chanyeol’s deep dimple. “We’re going to be okay. Don’t be scared.”

 

“He’s too young to get married, Baek. He _just_ turned eighteen and you’re only twenty-one.” Chanyeol moans in protest, crossing his arm with dissatisfaction. 

 

“We’ll get married once he turns twenty-one. For now, we’re engaged.” Baekhyun explains. “Well, we’re not properly engaged yet. The engagement party will probably happen next Saturday, I suppose. Sehun said he’ll most probably announce it later today, so we should probably go back to the ballroom—”

 

“Hold on.” Chanyeol stops him with a hand on his wrist, preventing him from going any further. He pulls Baekhyun into his embrace, resting his chin on the man’s head as he holds to the man’s nape. 

 

“Chanyeol, what—”

 

“Let’s just stay like this for a while,” he says, trapping his soulmate in his arms. “Just for a few minutes.”

 

Baekhyun’s effort of trying to get away relents eventually before he rubs Chanyeol’s back like he usually does when he tries to soothe him and calm him down. “I can’t believe I’m going to be engaged. I’m going to get married soon and I haven’t even told my mother about it yet since it was so sudden…”

 

“I can’t believe you’re getting married to Sehun…” Chanyeol mutters under his breath, pinching Baekhyun’s sides. “The brat really has a knack of stealing people away from me.” 

 

“He’s not stealing anyone,” Baekhyun flicks his forehead. “I don’t belong to anyone.”

 

“You are _my_ soulmate,” Chanyeol imitates the man’s actions, flicking Baekhyun’s head in return. “Technically, you belong to me.”

 

Baekhyun’s face is crimson red when Chanyeol looks at him again, the glint in his eyes making Chanyeol’s heart speed up. He tries to feign anger one last time, hiding a smile beneath his cold façade as he glares at his soulmate. As time goes by, Chanyeol can’t seem to be upset with Baekhyun for too long, knowing that he trusts this man with his life and he knows everything Baekhyun does is for the best. Now, Chanyeol wants to trust him again, for one last time. 

 

“No kissing,” he shakes his head, shuddering at the thought of his best friend lip-locking with his younger brother. “Don’t go beyond holding hands.” 

 

And he’s generous enough to even allow the two men to hold hands.

 

“ _Dad_ ,” Baekhyun says sarcastically, shooting a judgmental look towards him. “He’s going to become my husband. Eventually, I’m going to have to kiss him, and maybe, in a few more years, I might have to go beyond kissing.”

 

“Baekhyun!” Chanyeol scolds him, smacking the man’s arm. When he sees Baekhyun laughing at him, he smacks him again. And again. And again. Anything to let the image of Baekhyun fooling around with his younger brother _vanish_ in his mind. “That is disgusting!” 

 

“Alright, alright. How about this; let’s go to the barn tomorrow. You can bring your drawing book with you and I’ll be there to prevent more goats from approaching you.” Baekhyun suggests, still grinning widely. “We can stay there for as long as you want, maybe have a little picnic. We’ll spend a lot of our time together before you turn king and I… get engaged.” 

 

“Just like old times?” Chanyeol asks, full of hope, eyes wide with wonder as he waits for Baekhyun’s answer.

 

The man nods, running his slender fingers in Chanyeol’s hair. “Just like old times, sunflower prince.”

 

“Okay,” he agrees without a doubt, answering in a heartbeat.

 

The royal tailor laughs just a bit more, his arms snaking around Chanyeol’s neck as he tilts his head up to take a closer look at him, dazzling smile permanent on his face. “You’re taking all of this news so well,” he murmurs, locking his hands together on the back of Chanyeol’s neck, standing on the tip of his toes to press his forehead against Chanyeol’s. “I’m so proud of you.”

 

Chanyeol closes his eyes, savoring this feeling of being too close with Baekhyun for one last time. Things are going to change, and Chanyeol has always been afraid of changes, but now, instead of running away, he’ll just have to face it. But he knows he will be okay, especially with Baekhyun still by his side. 

 

“I trust you,” he whispers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

While everyone else including his own girlfriend are celebrating upon hearing the news of the second prince getting engaged and the crown prince becoming the king, Chanyeol stands in the corner of the ballroom, scrutinizing the two men waltzing while the guests cheer for them. He can see his younger brother’s soulmate mark now, a sheer light blue dandelion glinting on his wrist. It seems like Chanyeol is the only one in this palace who has a hideous soulmate mark, no thanks to Baekhyun.

 

“Why aren’t you dancing, Your Highness?” the guard standing beside him asks, and Chanyeol doesn’t have to turn to know that it is Jongin who’s elbowing his arm. “Your girlfriend is there, having the time of her life. Yet here you are, looking so sad and lonely.”

 

“I’m sick and tired of dancing.” Chanyeol admits, leaning against the wall. “I feel like I have been dancing my whole life. I just want to take a break and just… stand still for a moment.”

 

“Is that so?” Jongin raises a single brow, folding his arms as he stares at Chanyeol, doubtful, as if waiting for Chanyeol to tell him the truth. “Is it not because your dance partner is out there dancing with someone else?”

 

Chanyeol frowns as he looks over the dance floor again, seeing Joohyun clap her hands to the music as she cheers for the second prince. “Joohyun isn’t dancing—”

 

“Not the princess,” Jongin says, nodding towards the second prince’s dance partner. “Him.”

 

Chanyeol’s eyes travel to the giggling royal tailor, looking incredibly happy with his soon-to-be fiancé in his arms. His mood turns even more sour than it has been before, muttering a curse under his breath to Jongin who just _had_ to point it out. He steps on the guard’s foot, earning a startled groan from the man. 

 

“Be quiet.” He mumbles, still staring at his dancing soulmate.

 

Jongin grins knowingly, patting Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Your secret is safe with me, my prince.”

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the time Chanyeol arrives at the barn, with his drawing book and pencils in tow, he sees the royal tailor already sitting there on a large picnic mat, surrounded by sunflowers, taking food out of the large basket he brought with him. When Baekhyun finally notices Chanyeol walking towards him, he immediately brightens up with a big smile, waving at him. Chanyeol can literally feel his heart speeding up again and his ears grow warm, waving back at his soulmate.

 

“Aren’t you scared if the goats or the horses will come running towards you when they see all this food?” Chanyeol takes a seat beside the man, snatching a slice of watermelon out of his hands, staring at the food that Baekhyun brought along with his picnic basket. “This is practically a feast.”

 

“I’m not scared of them,” Baekhyun shrugs, grabbing another slice of watermelon from the basket after Chanyeol stole his previous one. “I’ll gladly feed them if they want some food. We have plenty of food to share.”

 

“That is incredibly unsanitary.” Chanyeol grimaces, wiping the wet bits of watermelon on the picnic mat before he brings his drawing book on his lap, flipping the pages open, filled with his new sketches of meadowsweets and sunflowers. 

 

“Oh!” Baekhyun exclaims once he sees the familiar drawing book. “Did you draw something new? Come here, let me see.”

 

He grins with pride when he hears Baekhyun gasping upon seeing the new drawings, immediately pulling Chanyeol’s book towards him, tracing his fingers on the unfinished sketches of roses. “Are they good? Do you like them?”

 

“They’re amazing! I love them.” Baekhyun takes his eyes off the book only to look at him, grinning while he sticks his thumbs up in the air as encouragement. “You’re really good at this.” 

 

His gaze trails from Baekhyun’s eyes down to his mouth, and a jolt of pure curiosity strikes him when he sets his eyes on the man’s lips, pulled into a wide smile. He has never stared _this_ long before, not long enough to notice how the tiny mole on the corner of his lips disappears under the crinkles of his smile each time he laughs. Chanyeol snaps out of it once he realizes that he has been staring at Baekhyun’s lips for too long, cursing at himself after having caught staring. 

 

Chanyeol looks away, rubbing his own arm. “T-Thanks for the compliment.”

 

“No problem,” the royal tailor remains smiling, too oblivious to notice the pink tints creeping up on Chanyeol’s cheeks. “You know, I can actually sell these at the craft store in the city and make some money out of these drawings.”

 

“Yes, and I can also sue you for doing so,” he can sense that the man is joking, so he plays along, yanking on the book again before he flips to a new page, plucking the nearest sunflower by its stem and places it on one side of the book before he starts drawing on the other page. 

 

“Ah, but you’re a prince! You don’t need to make money in the city to survive.” Baekhyun sighs dramatically, placing his hand on his chest as he fakes a sob. “As for me, a poor, poor servant, has nothing else to do but make clothes for a living. I might as well just sell off your decent artwork.”

 

Chanyeol laughs lightly, still focusing on his sketches. “But you’re marrying one of the kingdom’s princes, no? You won’t even have to be the royal tailor anymore sooner or later.”

 

Baekhyun’s shoulders slump down once he realizes. “What? Really?”

 

“Well, yes. Why would the prince’s husband go around sewing another prince’s clothes?” he snorts, tugging on his shirt to prove a point. “Soon, _you_ will have a royal tailor who will tailor your clothes for you.”

 

“Does that mean…” Baekhyun trails off, looking disappointed as he pouts, before he starts to smirk again. “That you’ll start to wear those hideous suits again?”

 

Chanyeol’s jaw locks as he glares at the royal tailor, making a lunge towards him before Chanyeol falls completely on top of Baekhyun on picnic mat. The crown prince punches the man’s arm lightly, earning a muffled fit of laughter from him. Baekhyun tries to beg for mercy, squished under Chanyeol’s body as he continues writhe when Chanyeol starts to jab repeatedly on his sides.

 

“Stop! I’m ticklish!” Baekhyun laughs too loud, his hands going up to Chanyeol’s face, pushing at it to stop him from tickling Baekhyun any longer. “Chanyeol! Stop it!”

 

“Not until you tell me that my clothes are pretty.” Chanyeol laughs along, his fingers snaking up under the tailor’s arms, making him yelp. “Say my clothes are pretty!”

 

“But I can never lie to you, Chanyeol,” the man wheezes out, his eyes crinkled shut as Chanyeol continues to tickle his sides. “They’re beyond hideous.”

 

One of the prince’s hands travel up to Baekhyun’s neck, tickling him there, making the royal tailor laugh even more intensely. 

 

“Okay! Okay! I’m sorry! They’re pretty! They’re very pretty!” Baekhyun raises his hands up in surrender, trying to breathe normally again, opening his eyes to look at Chanyeol again once the tickling stops, then he grins, sliding his arms around Chanyeol’s neck as he stares up at him. “You’re very pretty too.”

 

Chanyeol’s breath hitches when he realizes how close Baekhyun is, too close, he can feel the synchronized thumping of their heartbeats combined. Baekhyun’s eyes are wide open, staring at Chanyeol’s lips while Chanyeol does the same, both their minds filled with genuine curiosity and wonder, faces warm when Chanyeol leans down, swiping his thumb on the man’s lips, his own lips close enough to meet the man’s pink ones halfway. “B-Baekhyun, can I—”

 

“Are you two done?” Jongin appears right beside them, standing there with his arms crossed, unamused. He clicks on his tongue with impatience, checking his watch. “Or do I have to wait for two more hours?”

 

Both Chanyeol and the royal tailor start to scream when they realize that they were definitely not alone. Chanyeol quickly stands up, distancing himself from the royal tailor, accidentally knocking over the picnic basket. He presses his palm on his frantic heartbeat, breathing heavily as he tries to register what just happened, trying not to look at his soulmate who seems just as shocked as he is.

 

The guard barks out a laugh in front of them, clutching onto his stomach. “Oh god, you two should have seen the looks on your faces. That was hysterical.”

 

“What are you doing here, Jongin?” Chanyeol glares at the man, throwing a slice of French toast to the guard’s face. 

 

The man catches it just in time before it hits his nose, taking a bite of it as he smirks. “Have you forgotten what the king said last night? Your training starts today, Your Highness.”

 

“What training?” Baekhyun suddenly asks after recovering from the embarrassment they had to go through just a few minutes ago. His cheeks are still rosy, blushed with shame and his tufts of brown hair all ruffled now, with little bits of grass stuck in between the strands of hair. It’s strangely adorable.

 

“Kind of like a sword training, just the basics. A king must know how to fight and handle a sword. Can’t just spend his day drawing and trying to make out with his younger brother’s fiancé.” Jongin shrugs, still munching on the toast, searching for more food on the picnic mat and in the toppled basket. 

 

Chanyeol sends the nonchalant man a glare. “When did you get so disrespectful, butler?” 

 

“I prefer the word _knight_ , please.” Jongin snatches a bottle of orange juice out of Baekhyun’s hands, ignoring the man’s yells of protests. “We should really get going, Your Highness. Prince Sehun is already waiting for you there.” 

 

Chanyeol sighs, standing up, brushing the dusts and soil from the ground off his lap. “I’m sorry, Baekhyun, but I have to go now.”

 

“That’s alright,” Baekhyun waves him off, smiling. “I can still see you tonight or something.”

 

“Actually,” Jongin pipes in before Chanyeol can reply. “There will be an etiquette lesson tonight, and a few more trainings and lessons tomorrow. His Highness will be extremely busy starting from today, especially when the grand coronation is just in a few weeks.” 

 

“Oh,” Baekhyun lets out. He doesn’t even try to mask his disappointment. “Well, that’s okay. I’ll be busy preparing for the engagement party too. Perhaps next time, then, Chanyeol.” 

 

“Midnight,” Chanyeol whispers, grinning. “Tower.”

 

“I’m sorry, but unfortunately, the crown prince is no longer allowed to leave his chamber after dinner.” Jongin pouts sadly. “His Highness will be supervised at all times, but just until the grand coronation. He is also not allowed to leave the palace as he will be placed under the supervision of the king and His Majesty’s knights.” 

 

Chanyeol is already fidgeting when he listens to the guard’s words. His life has turned from sneaking out to the city and napping in the flower garden to being watched and participating in sword fights in a blink of an eye. This means that he can no longer spend his day drawing, visiting Joohyun in her kingdom, he can’t even talk to Baekhyun anymore – and that is what terrifies him the most. If the people of the kingdom knew that they were soulmates, they couldn’t possibly separate them, but for now, in their eyes, Baekhyun holds no meaning for the crown prince. After all, he _is_ about to marry the second prince.

 

“I didn’t expect things to be so strict.” Baekhyun chuckles nervously, scratching the back of his head. “I guess I’ll see you if I ever have the chance to see you, then. I suppose that’s a good thing. You can’t really cling onto me now that you’re going to become the king.”

 

“But you’re my friend,” he weakly protests. _My soulmate._

 

“Relax, Chanyeol, I’m still going to be here in this palace.” Baekhyun reassures him, holding up Chanyeol’s drawing book and pencil. “I’ll keep this for now. See you around.”

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

Chanyeol doesn’t get to talk to the royal tailor, or anyone else in that matter, for days. 

 

Joohyun has sent him a letter telling him that she wasn’t ready to possibly become the queen or the king’s mistress, even. They are both still young, and she can’t bear the thought of carrying the burden of being a king’s lover. Her words were simple, short, written with fading ink, a plain goodbye after years and years of loving. He is surprised by her words, but what surprises him even more is that he doesn’t feel a hint of sadness. He’s sad to say goodbye, but his heart doesn’t break. It doesn’t hurt when he rereads the letter again and again. It doesn’t ache when he realizes that he’s not going to see her anymore. 

 

He feels numb.

 

He has expected to be busy with his trainings and lessons in order to prepare him for the crowning ceremony, but he has underestimated the intensity of the trainings and lessons that they have provided for him. Even if it is just for a few weeks, he feels beyond suffocated. Chanyeol still sees his soulmate sometimes, usually from afar, glancing at him when he sees him walk by, but the man never notices Chanyeol’s relentless gazes on him anymore.

 

Usually, Chanyeol sees Baekhyun walking with Sehun by his side, laughing and holding onto his arm while the younger prince whispers in his ears. Something wrenches in his guts every time he sees them together, and he feels like he’s being yanked back to the past, when everyone else had isolated him, made him an outsider. Jongin is his only companion for now, who strangely, tends to stare at Baekhyun and Sehun when they walk by, too. 

 

“One more time, Your Highness.” One of the knights say, picking up his fallen sword from the ground, handing it back to him. “Tighten your grip around the sword. In that way, it does not fall out of your hand so easily.”

 

Chanyeol staggers back once the weight of the sword is placed back into his palm. The knight’s words fall unclear in his ears as Chanyeol tries to regain his posture, but fails when his vision slowly becomes blurry, the consequences of spending sleepless nights and facing intense lessons finally getting to him, refraining him from standing straight. 

 

“I-I think I need a break,” Chanyeol tries to croak out, holding onto his stomach as he crouches down in pain. 

 

“Just one more round, Your Highness,” the knight says, not paying attention to his groans. “Stand up.”

 

Jongin rushes to his side, holding onto his arm. “Your Highness, are you alright?”

 

He breaks into cold sweat, a sudden jolt of pain in his chest making him cry out, falling back onto the ground. With shaky hands, he tries to stand up again, clenching his fists and shutting his eyes closed as he tries to fight the jabs of pain on his sides. 

 

“Your Highness!” Jongin shouts, alarmed. “Chanyeol!”

 

The guard’s yells for him to regain consciousness fall deaf to his ears, and everything around him turns pitch black. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_ vi. _ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He has never seen rain pouring down while he’s still wandering in the city before. 

 

Somehow, when it rains, the city seems completely different. When it rains, the rest of the city becomes a little dull. The street lights are dimmer this time, and there are no children running around, asking for food from strangers. Baekhyun feels Sehun’s hand holding onto his shoulder as they stroll on the sidewalk, making their way to the jewelry store nearby. He tilts his head up to see Sehun smiling down on him while he holds onto the umbrella to shield them from the drizzling rain. 

 

“We could’ve just told the errand boy to deliver the rings to the palace or something instead of walking in the cold like this,” Baekhyun jokes, leaning closer to the younger man, craving for warmth. “You’re not even covering your face. Someone might see you, you know.”

 

“It’s nice, taking a walk with you. Besides, you told me that you love the city.” Sehun nudges his side with his hip, jutting his bottom lip out. “What’s with the change of heart?”

 

He shakes his head, smiling faintly as he stares at the empty street. “Nothing. It’s a little different. Maybe we should come here again during the new year’s festival.”

 

“Ah, I don’t think we can do that. Chanyeol would kill me.” Sehun laughs, but the mere mention of the crown prince makes Baekhyun jump slightly. “Isn’t that your little annual activity with him?” 

 

It’s true. Sneaking out to the city, wearing silly masks, dancing with little children running around – it’s something that is peculiar and odd, but it feels natural to do when he’s with Chanyeol. Secretly, every year, he anticipates the new year’s festival the most. It’s where he finally gets to see a genuine, bright smile on the crown prince’s face, and that laugh of his, Baekhyun waits for it every year. It’s when their worries fade away, overshadowed by the sound of melodic music and giggling children. 

 

“Yeah,” he nods, “You’re right.” 

 

“Maybe we can make the spring festival _our_ thing.” Sehun shyly smiles, intertwining their hands together as they walk side by side. “Do you miss him?”

 

Baekhyun glances at him. “Hmm?”

 

“Chanyeol,” Sehun replies quietly. Baekhyun can barely hear him over the sound of the rain. “It’s been a while since you’ve seen him. Do you miss him?”

 

Baekhyun takes a look at his wrist, pulling onto the cloth that was covering it, peeking at the color. “It does sting a little, but it’s not violet. It’s only been a few days since I’ve talked to him. I don’t miss him that much.” 

 

“It’s been two weeks,” Sehun chuckles, amused. 

 

Baekhyun’s eyes go wide, gasping. “It has?!”

 

“Yes, but I guess you were too busy with the engagement party’s preparations to notice.” Sehun shrugs, swinging their hands together. “He misses you though. He said so himself.”

 

Baekhyun’s heart skips a beat before jumping wildly in his chest as a blush appears on his face. He presses one hand onto his cheek, feeling the warmth of his face radiating to the skin of his palm. “He does?”

 

“God, look at you, all red and everything,” Sehun laughs, pinching his cheek. “Jongin told me. He’s been taking care of Chanyeol day and night ever since the idiot fainted.” 

 

“He _what_?!” Baekhyun shouts too loud and stops walking almost immediately. “He fainted? When? What happened, Sehun? Why didn’t you tell me?” 

 

“Because I don’t want to see this kind of reaction from you, as much as I have expected it.” The second prince sighs, but he keeps on walking along with his umbrella, leaving Baekhyun in the rain. 

 

He chases after the young prince, tugging onto his arm, ducking under the umbrella again. “But is he okay?” 

 

“He passed out for a few days because of sleep deprivation and dehydration, but he’s doing fine now. I informed father about it, and he allowed Chanyeol to rest for a little while.” Sehun fondly tugs a few strands of Baekhyun’s hair to the back of his ear, smiling slightly. “I know you’re worried, but he’s in good hands. Jongin is there.” 

 

“But…” Baekhyun trails off. There’s a painful tug in his heart when he realizes that the crown prince was struggling with his trainings and lessons just to become the king. “Will he be well enough to attend the engagement party?”

 

“Baekhyun, you’re getting engaged to someone else,” Sehun rolls his eyes, pointing to himself. “Do you really think he wants to witness that?”

 

“Of course, he does,” he nods, crossing his arms. “Why wouldn’t he?”

 

Sehun groans, walking away again, leaving the tailor to stand in the rain once more. “You two are so stupid. Idiots. Idiots!”

 

“Stop leaving me in the rain!” Baekhyun yells, running to catch up with the second prince’s pace. When he finally reaches the prince’s side, he holds onto the umbrella to prevent the prince from running away again. “Why do you think Chanyeol wouldn’t want to attend the party?”

 

“Because he’s in love with you, stupid,” Sehun grumbles, staring ahead. 

 

“What? No, he’s not,” Baekhyun denies, shaking his head a few times despite his heart thumping. “He has a girlfriend. That’s the whole point of us two getting engaged. I want him to be the king so he can also marry his girlfriend along the way without the current king interfering.” 

 

“He _can_ become the king if he marries _you_ instantly,” Sehun argues, but Baekhyun is not quite sure why he’s doing so. After all, Sehun is the one who asked Baekhyun to marry him. “A king must marry his soulmate, after all.” 

 

“But he loves his girlfriend.” Baekhyun says, poking the prince’s forehead. “If none of the princes got married to their respective soulmates, the crown prince can become the king because there is no other choice. In that way, he can finally marry his girlfriend. He’s been talking about marrying her for years.” 

 

“And you’re doing all of this because…?” Sehun asks.

 

Baekhyun blinks. “Because I want him to be happy.”

 

“There,” the second prince snaps his fingers, raising his brows while he stares at him. “Do you understand it now?”

 

“Understand what?” he scratches his head, confused, earning a long groan from the prince.

 

“Oh god,” Sehun slaps his own face with both his hands. “Baekhyun, you’re willing to marry someone else who you don’t even love just because you want to make your soulmate happy. Do you realize what that means?”

 

“Uh… Yes?” Baekhyun guesses, chuckling sheepishly when Sehun gives him an unamused glare. “No?”

 

“You’re in love with him too.” Sehun states so easily. “Get it now?” 

 

“I’m not!” Baekhyun shrieks, smacking the second prince’s head, looking away. “That’s embarrassing. I don’t like Chanyeol that way.”

 

“Yeah, sure you don’t,” Sehun chuckles sarcastically, putting his hands in his pockets as he continues to walk, umbrella be damned. “You’re not fooling anyone, Baekhyun, especially not me, your future husband.”

 

“I’m not in love with him, Sehun.” Baekhyun sighs, frustrated at the second prince’s behavior. “Why are you telling me all of this anyway? It’s as if you don’t want me to marry you or something.” 

 

“Maybe I don’t, okay,” Sehun finally admits quietly, stopping right in front of the jewelry store. 

 

Baekhyun tries to pull the prince into the store, but the man refuses to move. “What are you talking about?” 

 

“I’m starting to feel bad,” Sehun starts, murmuring as he keeps his head low. “I’m tired of seeing you two being sad all the time because you’re getting married to me. I’ve seen your faces when you’re with each other. I’m never going to get that same adorable smile from you, I realize that now.”

 

“Sehun…” he tries to speak.

 

“Baekhyun, stop. I feel like I’m a selfish bastard every time you’re with me.” He says, sighing. “You said so yourself, you’re only marrying me because you want Chanyeol to be happy, not because you genuinely want to marry me. Don’t you think I’d be a little hurt knowing that?” 

 

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun apologizes, ashamed. He was too occupied with the crown prince to notice that this might also hurt Sehun along the way. 

 

“As much as I’m annoyed with _that_ idiot, he’s still my brother.” Sehun smiles, cupping Baekhyun’s cheeks. “I don’t like seeing him all sad either. I swear, every time he sees you with me, he turns into this big, sad balloon.” 

 

The second prince’s words pull a startled laugh from him. Baekhyun pulls the prince into a hug, hiding his face in the prince’s chest. “God, I wish I was in love with you instead of him. Being in love with Chanyeol is so tiring.”

 

The two men stay quiet for a while, before Baekhyun finally realizes what he just confessed. He jumps back, surprised with himself as the second prince laughs at him, clapping his hands as he cackles at the royal tailor’s misery. 

 

“See!” Sehun laughs even louder, pointing at Baekhyun’s horrified face. “You said it, not me!”

 

“I…” he stutters, staggering as everything tries to sink in. “I-I don’t…”

 

“It’s okay, Baekhyun.” Sehun pulls him into his embrace again, humming in his ears. “Focus on making yourself happy this time, hmm?”

 

“But Sehun…” Baekhyun stammers, still trying to comprehend his own feelings. “He—”

 

“Joohyun broke up with him,” Sehun interrupts the man before he can say anything else to deny his feelings. “Jongin told me. Chanyeol wasn’t even sad about it. He even said he expected it to happen.” 

 

Baekhyun’s heart begins to beat wildly in his chest, his thoughts filled with so many questions. 

 

“It seems like even Joohyun knows that he’s in love with someone else,” Sehun smiles. “The two of you are a bunch of idiots.” 

 

He remembers how painful it was to see the two former lovers kiss, to listen to Chanyeol constant blabbers about her, to see Chanyeol’s smile when he’s with her. Now that he finally realized _why_ it was painful to see him with her in the first place, he figures that it’s only going to hurt even more now that he’s in love with the crown prince.

 

“Sehun, he doesn’t like me that way.” Baekhyun huffs, entering the jewelry store, ignoring the staffs who instantly swoon over the sight of the second prince. “Let’s just move on from this and check out our rings, okay?”

 

“He’s always upset when you’re not there with him.” Sehun grasps onto the man’s arm, holding him still.  “He’s sad when you’re with me. He latches onto you literally all the time. He can’t even go one day without asking where you are and how you’re doing. How do you explain that?”

 

“It’s because he’s a clingy bastard, Sehun, we all know that.” Baekhyun grunts, trying to pull his arm away. “How do you even know this? Have you been spending time with him or something? Have you two forgotten your rivalry?”

 

“Jongin told me. He keeps me updated about Chanyeol because I know you’ll eventually worry about his wellbeing.” The second prince shrugs. “I also happen to spend more time with Jongin nowadays. Just because.”

 

“Well, whatever it is, Chanyeol is simply like that. He likes being around people, likes being complimented and likes being taken care of. That’s all.” Baekhyun states. “Maybe if you people paid any attention to him without pissing him off, you’d realize that he’s not cold, or mean, or an ice prince. He’s actually really clingy. Chanyeol is practically a giant baby, so don’t be weirded out if you see him all sad when he’s not with me.”

 

“Baekhyun, he’s my older brother. I know how he is.” Sehun gives him a strange look. “He’s only like that when he’s with you.” 

 

“That’s because he’s my s—”

 

“He’s your soulmate,” the second prince chuckles sarcastically. “I don’t get sad when my soulmate isn’t here with me.” 

 

Baekhyun’s eyes widened as he holds onto the second prince’s shoulders, shaking him. “You found your soulmate and you didn’t tell me?!”

 

“Yeah, after the ceremony ended.” Sehun nods, trying to hide a smile. “We’re cool. It was a bit of a surprise for me, but the two of us didn’t really mind. The point is, Baekhyun, it’s not _just_ because he’s your soulmate. Maybe it’s more than that.”

 

 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun closes his eyes, oddly relaxed by the rustling of dried leaves swept away by the midnight wind. The night is cold and starless. Too dark and quiet for him to be lurking around at the tower, longingly staring at the lively city that seems too far for him to reach. There’s not a sight of the palace’s guards roaming around by the flower garden like they always do when Baekhyun spends his sleepless nights sitting here, staring down at them until they notice him and send him a friendly wave. 

 

Eventually, when the whistles of the wind and the sounds of dogs howling from afar are beginning to disturb him, Baekhyun decides to return to his room and at least try to get some sleep. He’s beginning to loathe to sleep, for it only brings him nightmares and bad dreams that he’s terrified of. 

 

Some dreams are too realistic that they wake him up at night, drenched in sweat, with tears on his face. Sometimes he dreams of his mother, of himself, of the second prince, of the flower garden, of the young crown prince, the one he had grown to love, about to turn king in a matter of days. 

 

With an exhausted sigh, the royal tailor makes his way down the swirling stairs, with sleep being the last thing on his mind. Perhaps he will rummage through his closet and search for the old tool box that contained his old collection of needles and thread, spending his time sewing on useless pieces of stained cloths. 

 

Whilst padding down the last steps of the stairs, Baekhyun sees two panicking guards, pacing here and there with their heads in their hands. He approaches one of them, gently placing his hand on the guard’s shoulder. 

 

“Is everything alright?” Baekhyun asks, concerned.  

 

The guard almost slaps his hand away before he realizes who Baekhyun is; when he does, he gasps, grabbing both the tailor’s hands. “Finally! I’ve found him!” the guard exclaims.

 

“Who were you searching for?” Baekhyun frowns when the guard refuses to let go of his hands. “Let me go, please, I want to return to my room.”

 

“The future king wishes to see you,” the guard says, yanking on his wrist, Baekhyun’s words falling deaf to his ears. “We have been searching for you everywhere!”

 

“I was at the tower…” Baekhyun mumbles, allowing himself to be dragged away. “Most of you know that the tower is my most favorite place in the royal palace, don’t you?”

 

The guard does not answer, ignoring Baekhyun’s winces and objections, dragging the tailor harshly until he finally snaps, pushing the guard away and holding up his hand as a warning when the other man tries to get close.

 

“I know where the crown prince is, I can bring myself there.” He says with finality, glaring at the cowering man standing before him. “I am fine walking on my own.” 

 

The guard tries to protest, approaching him with hesitance, but Baekhyun huffs and stomps his feet towards the king’s chamber, knocking on the door with no trace of politeness. He finds it ridiculous and preposterous that Chanyeol would humiliate him to this extent, ordering a guard to come and drag Baekhyun to him just because he’s too egoistic to call out for Baekhyun on his own.  

 

“It is I, the royal tailor, Your Majesty,” Baekhyun says sarcastically with a roll of his eyes as he continues knocking on the door. “A rather impolite _knight_ came and dragged me here, saying that you wished to see me, Your Majesty. Whatever for?”

 

The other side remains quiet, and for a moment, Baekhyun thinks that the sunflower prince has fallen asleep while waiting for him. Although the thought of it is endearing, Baekhyun will still confront the man about it tomorrow morning with reasonable anger to emphasize that the crown prince should really stop ordering his bodyguards to bring Baekhyun to him. 

 

“The future king requires his royal tailor’s assistance, for his trousers were terribly ripped just now,” comes a playful tone from the other side of the closed door. Chanyeol’s gruff voice is laced with a hint of laughter threatening to burst out of him.  

 

Baekhyun raises his brows as he crosses his arms together, standing still and unamused. “If so, which part of it was ripped, Your Majesty?”

 

There is a creak when the door opens slightly. The crown prince peeks his head out see if there is any knight lingering near his chamber. When he realizes that the coast his clear, he greets his soulmate with a smile, before he leans in to whisper softly. “…My bum.” 

 

“Oh, for god’s sake! Open the door and let me in, you big buffoon.” Baekhyun uses his two fingers to poke on the silly man’s forehead as he tries to stifle a chuckle, anger forgotten when he sees the adorable smile on the king’s face. 

 

Chanyeol wastes no time to drag him inside, shutting the door closed with a loud thud. He places both his hands on Baekhyun’s shoulders, staring at him like he has never seen him before, with a look in his eyes that Baekhyun can’t comprehend. 

 

His signature smile falters when he truly looks at Baekhyun, and although it seems like the weight on his shoulders are instantly lifted as the pair of soulmates locked eyes, worry still clouds above the future king’s head. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Baekhyun asks, bringing his palm to the man’s reddening cheek. 

 

Chanyeol leans into his touch with a gentle sigh, covering Baekhyun’s hand with his, as if he wants the tailor to hold onto his cheek a little longer. Moments like these are the ones that make Baekhyun realize that underneath the crown prince’s cold demeanor that he shows to the public, there is the clueless man who knows nothing about handling a kingdom that he will be forced to lead after the current king steps down from the throne.

 

“I just want to hold your hand,” the crown prince mumbles, closing his eyes, listening to the soothing sound of their marks, glint of gold, pulsing under their skin alongside their heartbeats. “Just for a while, please.” 

 

Baekhyun stands there in silence, staring at the crown prince, his heart aching when he realizes how long it has been since he’s seen the prince so up close like this. He smiles softly, leaning in closer, wrapping his arms around Chanyeol’s neck like he always does. “Sehun told me that you fainted a few days ago. Are you okay now?”

 

“I’m okay,” Chanyeol mumbles, holding him by his waist. “Just missed you, that’s all.” 

 

He chuckles, trying to distract himself from focusing on his thunderous heartbeat before he notices the small cuts on the bridge of the prince’s nose and his cheekbone. Baekhyun frowns slightly, tracing the tip of his fingers on the fading scars. “Did you hurt yourself during your training?”

 

“Only a little. It doesn’t hurt.” Chanyeol shakes his head, hiding his face in the crook of Baekhyun’s neck as he pulls him closer, slightly lifting Baekhyun up from the floor, embracing him too tight. “God, I missed you so much.”

 

“It hasn’t even been a month. Put me down!” Baekhyun laughs, hitting the prince’s back. “What will you do when I get married soon, hmm?”

 

The crown prince doesn’t reply. He doesn’t say a word, only pulling Baekhyun in closer and closer, breathing him in, not wanting to let him go. Chanyeol keeps shaking his head on and on, refusing to let Baekhyun to look at him in this state. Baekhyun stops laughing, realizing that this isn’t the right time to joke around at all.

 

“Chanyeol…?” he cautiously calls out for him.

 

“I don’t know,” the crown prince whispers. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

 

Baekhyun reluctantly pushes at the prince’s shoulders in order to look at the man, cradling his face in his hands, with his feet still slightly dangling in the air. “Chanyeol—”

 

“Please don’t marry him,” Chanyeol pleads, almost begs, staring at him. “I talked to Jongin the other day and he made me realize something I should have realized all those years ago.”

 

Baekhyun clamps his palm on the crown prince’s mouth before he can say another word, keeping his mouth shut. Chanyeol looks at him with shock, muffling behind his hand. “I know what you’re about to say, Chanyeol. Don’t say it.”

 

Chanyeol tries to yell, bite and even lick his palm just to let Baekhyun set his mouth free. Baekhyun keeps the man’s mouth shut, kissing the back of his hand that’s still clamped over the crown prince’s lips. 

 

“Please don’t say a word. You know it’s not true.” Baekhyun warns, finally removing his hand from the prince’s mouth, grimacing as he wipes his palms on his shirt. “Chanyeol, you’re gross.”

 

Chanyeol puts the royal tailor’s feet back on the floor, no longer hugging him, but not exactly letting him go either. “You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

 

“Yes, I do. Trust me, I do.” he argues. “It’s not true, Chanyeol. You’re not in love with me.” 

 

“But I am!” the crown prince exclaims, almost whining. “You didn’t even give me a chance to say it in a romantic way!”

 

“That’s because you’re out of your mind and I won’t tolerate it!” Baekhyun turns around, pacing in front of the prince’s bed, anything to avoid his soulmate’s eyes set on him. “You just got out of a big break up and you’re in a vulnerable place, Chanyeol, I get it. But you’re not in love with me, so please don’t say you are.” 

 

The crown prince stops him, holding onto his hand. “Why are you trying so hard to fight this, Baekhyun?” 

 

“Because I don’t want to be a rebound,” he croaks out, sighing as he slaps his hands over his face, sitting on the edge of the prince’s bed. “You’ve been in love with Joohyun even before we were soulmates, Chanyeol. You talked about her all the time. You told me that you wanted to marry her. You… You can’t just immediately tell me you love me the moment she breaks up with you! That just makes me a second option.”

 

That instantly shuts him up. Chanyeol stands there, looking at him, his shoulders slumped as he frowns. He takes a seat beside the royal tailor, reaching out to clasp onto his hand and fiddles with his fingers. “You’re not a rebound.”

 

Baekhyun shuts his eyes closed in frustration. “Chanyeol, just—” 

 

“Just hear me out for a second, okay?” the crown prince squeezes his hand tight, rubbing his thumb on Baekhyun’s skin. “I was in love with Joohyun, yes, but one thing I was too late to realize was that I’ve been in love with you ever since we were kids. I’ve been in love with you even before Joohyun came along, but I hated you too, and I suppose that hatred kind of covered the fact that I liked you a lot.”

 

Baekhyun keeps his hands still, and strangely, when he’s listening to the crown prince professing his love, Baekhyun’s heart doesn’t speed up. It doesn’t race too fast, almost beating out of his chest. It’s slow, in synchronization with the ticking clock on the wall.

 

“I don’t know for sure, Baek,” he adds. “But I think you were my first love.”

 

“You threatened to throw me out of the palace almost every single time I tried to talk to you,” Baekhyun snorts, linking his fingers with the crown prince as he rests his head on the man’s shoulder. “Things would’ve been less complicated if you just kept on hating me.”

 

“I love you, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol whispers. “I’m sorry for realizing it too late. And I’m sorry for all the bad things I said to you.”

 

“It’s okay, it’s all been forgotten.” Baekhyun turns to the crown prince and smiles. “I’m getting engaged tomorrow. You’ll come to the engagement party, won’t you?”

 

Chanyeol’s smile falters. “I’m sorry… I don’t think I can.” 

 

“But why?” Baekhyun releases the man’s hand, standing up to face him completely. “Where will you go?”

 

“Come here, Baekhyun,” the crown prince beckons, reaching his hands out to hold Baekhyun again, and this time, Chanyeol is the one who tilts his head up to stare at him. “Okay, let’s just stay like this for a while before you go and marry someone else.”

 

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun grunts, lightly pushing the man’s head. “Why can’t you come to the engagement party?”

 

“Because I’m in love with you,” Chanyeol chuckles softly, saying it like it’s the simplest thing in the world. “I think I’ll sneak out to the city, maybe stroll around a little.” 

 

Baekhyun frowns, his hands falling back to his sides. “I’m in love with you too, but that didn’t stop me from trying to let you and Joohyun be together. It hurt me every time I saw you kissing her but I still supported the two of you because that’s what we’re supposed to do, Chanyeol. We’re friends. You’re supposed to be here with me, by my side because you’re my friend. What kind of friend are you if you’re not even willing to attend your friend’s engagement party?”

 

“Baekhyun…” Chanyeol pauses, eyes widened. “You’re… what?”

 

Baekhyun stops rambling once he realizes that he has, yet again, let the truth slip out of his mouth. He clamps his hand over his own mouth, slowly backing away as he watches the crown prince standing up, approaching him. “Nothing. I didn’t say anything. Goodbye!”

 

 

“Damn it – Baekhyun!” Chanyeol yells just when Baekhyun breaks into a full run, dashing out of the crown prince’s chamber, pushing all of the guards that are blocking his way. “Baekhyun, stop running! Stop this instant!”

 

Baekhyun doesn’t try to look back as he keeps running, making his way down the stairs hurriedly, almost running out of breath. He sees a few maids staring at them weirdly as the crown prince continues to chase after him, screaming out his name. “Stop chasing after me!”

 

“I’m not going to stop until you repeat what you just said to me just now!” Chanyeol shouts back, panting as he tries to catch up with the royal tailor’s fast pace. “Baekhyun, stop, I’m exhausted!”

 

“Then stop running, fatty!” Baekhyun glances at the prince behind him before he sticks his tongue out, running towards the ballroom. As he barges into the ballroom, he sees a few guards shrieking when the door opens with a slam, probably wondering why the royal tailor and the future king are running in the middle of the night while everyone else is still preparing for the engagement party. 

 

“You’re in love with me!” Chanyeol yells after him, trying to pull on his clothes when he gets close enough. “You said it just now! You’re in love with me too!”

 

“Yeah, so what if I l—ouch!” Baekhyun ends up slamming right into someone’s chest, toppling over, falling on the floor. He groans in embarrassment when he falls on top of the person, rubbing his forehead as he begins to apologize, his blurry eyes trying to get back into focus. “I’m so sorry—oh my god.”

 

Chanyeol seems to stop running and yelling, too, just standing there in front of them, staring with horror. “Oh no…”

 

“Y-Y… Your Majesty!” Baekhyun gasps, rushing to stand back up, pulling the king up with him, brushing the dusts off the king’s clothes before he bows again. And again. And again. “I-I’m so sorry!”

 

“Baekhyun, boy, what on earth are you doing here in the middle of the night?” the king grunts, stumbling slightly as he tries to balance himself again with the royal tailor’s helping hands. “Good lord, my head is spinning.”

 

“Father!” Chanyeol shouts in disbelief, pointing at the royal tailor. “This… _thing_ knocked over you and you’re not even _slightly_ angry?! Unbelievable!”

 

“What did you just call me?” Baekhyun hisses, trying to claw at the crown prince’s face.

 

“Sehun and I were checking on the preparations for the party tomorrow,” the king informs, grinning. “Just want the best party for my favorite son and my future son in law.”

 

Baekhyun falls silent, biting his lip as he glances at the crown prince’s reaction. 

 

“I’m literally _right here_ ,” Chanyeol grumbles. “Whatever. I’m going to sleep instead of wasting my time trying to talk to any of you.”

 

As the crown prince stomps towards the door, Baekhyun worriedly stares at him before he sees the second prince standing among the guards, giving him an encouraging nod. 

 

“Your Majesty, I, um, I have something to tell you…” Baekhyun starts hesitantly, sweating. He sees Chanyeol walking a bit slower this time, so he tries to make it quick, stammering at the confused king. “I have something very, very important to tell you.”

 

The king crosses his arms, looking at him.

 

“But Sehun will be the one who tells you, because I’m honestly, very terrified right now.” Baekhyun laughs nervously, earning a groan from the second prince who rolls his eyes, yanking on the crown prince’s arm to drag him back to where Baekhyun is still standing. 

 

“Cowards, both of you,” Sehun spits, pushing his older brother against the royal tailor. “Father, the truth is, Baekhyun and Chanyeol are soulmates.” 

 

Gasps and whispers can be heard from the maids and guards surrounding the ballroom, staring at the royal family and the startled king. Baekhyun closes his eyes and expects for the worst as he holds onto Chanyeol’s hand, waiting for the king’s reaction. 

 

“Oh,” the king finally says. “I see. Well then, goodnight, children. See you tomorrow.”

 

“Father, not again!” Chanyeol yells out of frustration, almost pulling his hair out every single time he sees the king responding so calmly to something so bizarre. 

 

“Your Majesty, are you not… angry?” Baekhyun stammers in disbelief, genuinely surprised. Judging by the look on Sehun’s face, he seems shocked by the king’s response, too. 

 

“Is that why you have been covering your mark all this time, boy?” the king scoffs, but there’s no bite in his tone. Only a fatherly smile and a pull on the cloth wrapped around his wrist. “It must be because Chanyeol is ashamed of you, isn’t it? I will be sure to teach him a lesson.”

 

“Oh my god, I really can’t believe this.” Chanyeol slaps his own forehead, giving up on his entire family and his own soulmate. 

 

Baekhyun laughs, fully hugging the crown prince’s arm now, thanking the gods for such a relaxed reaction from the king. “No, he’s not ashamed of me. We just thought that we needed to keep it a secret because I might have to marry him.”

 

“Which, by the way, I don’t mind at all.” Chanyeol holds one hand up. “Not at all.” 

 

The king laughs a little, ruffling the crown prince’s hair. “I’ve never seen you so cheerful before. I suppose having Baekhyun as your soulmate really changed you a lot.” 

 

“Did you just… touch my hair?” Chanyeol croaks out, his jaw hanging. “Father, is this really you?”

 

Baekhyun stares as Sehun laughs at the crown prince and the king’s odd interaction, his heart warming at the sight of the royal family finally having a decent conversation without the crown prince stomping out of the room. He stares at Chanyeol, his sunflower prince, the man he’s in love with, grinning at the way he smiles at his father. 

 

“I love you,” he whispers quietly, not expecting the crown prince to stop blabbering before the three members of the royal family looks at him. 

 

“You do?” Chanyeol asks, bright eyes full of hope.

 

“I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” Baekhyun groans as the crown prince kisses all over his face, almost sobbing. “Chanyeol, please stop being gross.”

 

“Before any of you say anything else, especially you, father, I just want to say that the engagement party will _not_ be cancelled.” Sehun explains, ignoring the crown prince’s sharp glare when he says so. 

 

“If you take him away from me again, I will slap you in your sleep with your stupid wooden sword,” Chanyeol warns, shielding Baekhyun away from the second prince. 

 

“Well, I figured that I might as well just get engaged to my soulmate, now that the invitations have already been sent out.” Sehun shrugs, nodding at the corner of the room where the group of guards are staring back at them in surprise. 

 

“Sehun, we didn’t agree on this!” Jongin yells from where he is standing. 

 

“Wait,” Chanyeol stops them. “Hold up. Hold the fuck up.”

 

The king grunts. “Language, Chanyeol.”

 

“ _You’re_ Jongin’s soulmate?! Is that why he refused to show me his mark?!” Chanyeol yells, pointing at Sehun in accusation. “You’re the one that he keeps talking about? The sweet, dreamy guy?” 

 

Sehun raises his brows at the guard. “He said that?”

 

“Wow, Jongin, good for you!” Baekhyun claps his hand, grinning at the blushing guard who covers his face in embarrassment.

 

He watches as Chanyeol continues to make fun of the two soulmates, pulling Sehun towards the palace’s guard, forcing them to hold hands despite their yells of protests. Baekhyun flinches when he hears the king laughing slightly as he stands beside him, staring at his two sons quarreling. 

 

“Chanyeol used to be really jealous of Sehun,” Baekhyun says quietly, earning the king’s attention. “He really wanted your affection, so he tried his best to push Sehun away and he grew up hating him. I just wish you can give him the chance for him to prove that he’s a good man, Your Majesty.”

 

The king clears his throat. “I do love him.”

 

“I know you do, Your Majesty.” Baekhyun replies gently. “I’ll be sure to let him know that.” 

 

“Thank you, Baekhyun.” The king pats his back, smiling. “For bringing my two sons together again.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_ Even the Midnights Are Better _

 

**_ vii. _ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Anyway, as I was saying, the playground will be built over there, right across the street from the orphanage,” Chanyeol explains as he shows his sketches, pointing to the spaces while the workers are already stacking the bricks on the ground. 

 

Baekhyun doesn’t quite understand what his husband is currently blabbering about, so he opts on staring at the man’s face as he enthusiastically explains about his plans for the upcoming orphanage in the city. After five years, Chanyeol has finally gotten the chance to fulfill his longtime dream of building an orphanage for the children from other kingdoms who have recently lost their parents in the previous war. Baekhyun has seen the king work day and night, spending sleepless nights trying to work on his plans and projects. 

 

“I’m also planning for a little bakery over here, where—Baekhyun, are you even listening to me?” Chanyeol glares at him as Baekhyun continues to stare fondly, grinning.

 

“You’re so handsome,” Baekhyun compliments, pulling his husband down for a kiss, tugging on the strands of his hair. When they pull away and he sees Chanyeol’s flushed face, he still sees the young sunflower prince who stole his heart in front of the barn. “I’m so proud of you.”

 

The king blushes, smiling back at him as his sketches and pen slip out of his hand, holding onto Baekhyun’s waist, slanting his lips over Baekhyun’s sweet grin, kissing him over and over again. “I’m proud of you too.”

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
